Late yesterday evening, a letter leaked online stating that Timipre Sylva, Minister of State for Petroleum, has resigned in order to run for governor of Bayelsa.
According to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), undisclosed sources said the minister submitted his resignation letter to President Buhari last week.
Recall that Sylva was screened for the APC governorship election in Bayelsa State a few days ago, raising accusations that he broke the electoral act by violating section 84 sub-section 12, which states that you cannot compete for office if you are a political appointee.
Additionally, it stipulates that in order to run for office or act as a delegate in an election, any person currently holding a political post, such as a minister, commissioner, special adviser, or other official, must resign from that position.
The top echelons of the APC in Bayelsa are not impressed by the twisted development, claiming that it is amusing that his resignation did not hit the media space since last week when he allegedly resigned, saying it sparks deceitful tendencies and only goes a long way to show that Sylva’s hands are not clean in terms of his desperate ambition.
They accuse him of being the man behind David Lyon’s last crisis, which was caused by his imposition of a running mate who was later found guilty of falsifying his documents submitted to INEC, causing the Supreme Court to invalidate David Lyon’s landslide victory over Seriake Dickson and the all-powerful PDP in the State.
Here’s how a party state executive member who requested anonymity reacted to Sylva’s governorship ambition and purported resignation.
“Sylva knows what he is doing and is out to rock the boat in order to shorten our party’s win. He should understand that we stand on David Lyon’s mandate.”
Nevertheless, this comment from a respondent on one of the social media platforms sums up the outpouring of rage from so many others.
“Greedy people, who just want to keep lining their pockets with the commonwealth.
Why should they be blamed? The citizens are blinded, bamboozled and fooled constantly by the politicians. As long as we fail to hold them accountable, they will continue in their thieving ways
Rather than talk about security, health, job creation, education, proper infrastructures, good air, etc, politicians capitalize on the foolishness of the people and divide them further along tribal and religious lines. The country is at breaking point.
How someone holds the position of the minister for state, Petroleum, and at the same time grabs the governorship with the other hand is mind boggling.
Hopefully Bayelsans can shine their eyes this time and elect a governor who will propel them to greater heights.”
What are you views as regards this latest development , did the former Minister of State for Petroleum resources meet the required time as stipulated by the electoral act to resign before contesting an election ? We pretty doubt this hence the resignation was shrouded in secrecy.
What are your thoughts on this latest development? Did the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources resign within the timeframe specified by the electoral laws before contesting an election? We have our doubts, which is why the resignation was kept under wraps.
