Sylva’s Propaganda Against Diri’s Govt. Will Not Stand – Group

… says former Minister suffering from post election trauma

The Niger Delta Legacy, Advocacy and Development group, has dismissed attempt by former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Marlin Sylva, to discredit the government of Governor Douye Diri following the gruesome killing of sixteen officers and soldiers in Okuama, Delta State last Thursday.

The group declared that Sylva’s media propaganda to pitch the Federal Government and the Nigerian Army against the Bayelsa State Government will not stand.

In a statement signed by the National Spokesman of the group, Dr. Embelakpo Aribo, said Sylva’s macabre dance over the issue is not strange, as he is expressing his frustration over his abysmal failure in the last governorship election in Bayelsa.

The group, while lambasting the former Bayelsa governor, noted that linking Governor Douye Diri to the suspected perpetrators involved in the heinous attack and the brutal murder of the officers was sickening and a desperation taking too far.

The statement reads, “The latest and ridiculous orchestration of sponsored media propaganda by Sylva falsely accusing the Bayelsa State Governor of harboring the perpetrators in government house is not only vexatious but wicked and extremely malicious.

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“Our fulfillment is that nobody is buying Sylva’s childish lies, least of all the army and the federal government. Having lost woefully in the governorship election, Sylva so desperately wants to pitch the federal government and the army against the Bayelsa State Governor. “

The group stated that Sylva, knowing that his case before the Bayelsa State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal lacks merit, wants to use his latest tirade against Diri as a gimmick to attract attention of the Bola Tinubu administration to help sway some support in his favour.

It asserted that it is laughable that Sylva who had used his notorious gang led by one Kojo Willams to hold the people of Nembe-Bassambiri captive for years could openly speak ill of a governor whose penchant for peace has been widely acclaimed and acknowledged.

“It is common knowledge to all Bayelsans that Sylva, while as governor of Bayelsa State, devoted a section of the Government House to a criminal gang who were his hit men. This criminal gang was placed on a monthly retainership collecting N250m to engage in the political witch hunt of perceived enemies of his government.

“Most of his perceived enemies, including poor hapless Bayelsans, met their untimely death from the hands of Sylva’s hatchet men. Bayelsa was practically under seige during the six year reign of Sylva as governor through the activities of the infamous Famutangbe, which literal translation is “kill and throw away”.

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“That Syva is not liked by Bayelsans and will never win any election in his lifetime again in the state is traceable to his abominable track record in the state.”

The group insisted that Sylva’s false and mindless propaganda against Diri speaks volume of the antecedent of a man whose past is fast catching up with him, saying “he is a merchant of political banditry and savagery.”

“As a group, we make bold to say Governor Douye Diri is one of the most peaceful governors in Nigeria. He will never harbour any criminal or support any form of criminality. Bayelsa Government House is not a safe haven for criminals. The governor and the state is at peace with itself. No amount of propaganda by Sylva and his gang will stand. The governor has a robust and cordial relationship with the security agencies, be it the Army, Navy, Airforce, Police, DSS, and all the other para military agencies.”