The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State has alleged that The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) is under pressure to arrest and prosecute Timipre Sylva over “trumped up charges” from the State Governor, Douye Diri.
The party spokesperson in the state, Doifie Buokoribo, made the allegation in a statement on Monday.
Mr Sylva contested the 11 November governorship election in the state on the platform of the APC while Mr Diri, who won reelection, was a candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
Mr Diri was declared governor-elect by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having scored the highest votes, 175,196, winning six out of the eight Local Government Areas of the state.
Mr Sylva, a former minister of state for petroleum, who won (110,108) in only two local government areas, came second, with 110,108 votes, according to the results declared by INEC.
He is challenging Mr Diri’s declaration as the winner of the polls.
The APC spokesperson in the State, Mr Buokoribo, said Mr Diri was instigating the anti-graft agency to arrest and prosecute Mr Sylva to frustrate the APC candidate from pursuing his case at the election tribunal.
He said Governor Diri and the PDP adopted the strategy because they know they are holding a “stolen mandate.”
Mr Buokoribo said, “We are aware of Senator Diri’s devious activities at the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission aimed at sponsoring invented petitions against Sylva, and the pressure he is mounting on officials of the commission to initiate arrest and prosecution against him on trumped-up charges, particularly, bordering on his tour of duty as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources.”
PDP fires back at APC
The spokesperson of PDP in Bayelsa State, Ebiye Ogoli, in his response to the APC’s allegation, said the APC was suffering from post-election trauma, adding that its leaders needed to be examined.
Mr Ogoli’s response was contained in a statement sent to PREMIUM TIMES on Monday.
He said the APC in the state was engaging in misleading and vexatious propaganda.
“Chief Timpre Sylva, as a bad loser, has refused to acknowledge and accept the outcome of the 11 November governorship election for what it is — a free, fair and transparent poll.
“The election was widely adjudged by various local and international observers as one of the cleanest in recent times conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission, in which incumbent Governor Douye Diri was re-elected via a landslide.
“We are at a loss as to the reasons for this latest senile vituperation thrown at our dear Governor.
“May we remind Chief Sylva and his deceptive cohorts in his party that the EFCC is a federal anti-corruption organ that is not within the remit or under the control of Governor Diri.
“We maintain that the PDP or Senator Diri was never involved in the running of the office of the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and if there are issues arising therefrom, it is not the business of the State Governor or our Party. So, we advise Sylva to face his travail (if any) and leave Governor Diri out of it.
“We also wish to state that the mandate freely given to Governor Douye Diri as expressed by the good people of Bayelsa State will stand and be validated at the end of the day.”
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