Chief Timipre Sylva was sacked as the governor of Bayelsa State in 2012 and left the state amidst controversy surrounding his removal by forces within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) loyal to President Goodluck Jonathan. In this first interactive session held with the people of the state, he explains his long absence, his interest in Bayelsa East Senatorial race and why he supports Buhari for president in next elections. Osa Okhomina captured it for LEADERSHIP. You were out of the state for a long time after the abrupt end of your tenure. What have you been doing? Yes, I didn’t have much to do in Bayelsa, I have been having a lot things to do at national level. I have taken to the national stage and decided to concentrate on it. I have come into Bayelsa a few times but they were mostly private visits and I kept them private as much as I can. You were in Bayelsa to host the presidential rally of the APC presidential flagbearer, Muhammad Buhari. How prepared is the APC against the PDP? The basic fact is that Gen. Buhari is very worthy and prepared for the battle for the presidency. And in a few weeks from now, the PDP will be defeated and thrown out of government. We are here in Bayelsa to put our stamp and solicit for the support of the people of Bayelsa to come together and sweep away the PDP that has brought so much hunger and pain, not only to Bayelsa, but to the whole of Nigeria. Are you sure Buhari is the best man for the presidency and not one of the former or serving governors? At this time, I think Buhari remains the best for Nigeria. And I know that because I have related with him very closely and I know he is the kind of man the nation needs for now. Like they say, there is a time and season for everything. And at this time and season, what we need is experience. The country has been damaged beyond repair. Economically, the country is damaged. You cannot understand this until this government is out of office. Then you will know that what has happened to this country is like a huge truck running over an ant hill. That is what has happened to Nigeria. So much have been damaged economically. Security wise, it is going to take a while for people to repair. A lot have been damaged. We need people with experience. Now, economically, what are the problems? The biggest problem of Nigeria today is the falling oil prices and oil theft. Buhari has had the experience of dealing with oil theft and as APC, we have a programme to come up with on marginal refinery or small refineries. We will empower the people in the real sense of it. Bayelsa and the people of the Niger Delta will be empowered more than any other people in the history of this country. If you look at the history of Nigeria and the Niger Delta, the Niger Delta people have had it better under the administration of a northern person. Now, unfortunately, our son is here but what has become of us? Let’s come our clear, we have not been empowered as a people. And now, Buhari and the APC are coming with one singular aim of truly empowering the Niger Delta people. Buhari is 72 years old and has not made a secret of it. And it shows a length of experience. He has been a head of state. He has been a minister. He has been a governor. He has been everything in Nigeria. In fact, we are the people calling him out of retirement to come and help us salvage this country. Buhari didn’t come out to say, I want to be president. Nigerians are the ones that need Buhari. We called on him to come and repair the country that has been so badly damaged and after the repair, hand it over to the younger generation. You know that when the problem was the Niger Delta, we called for a Niger Delta president. But now, the problem is not the Niger Delta problem as such, the problem is in the north, we need to show understanding over the Boko Haram issue more than anyone else so that the country can move forward. We cannot sit here and pretend there is no problem. By the time Buhari finishes with this country, his major support will be the poor in the south. Buhari is a friend of the poor. Everybody know him as a friend of the poor. He is not going to embezzle your money. He is going to safeguard your money. He will not allow anybody to squander our money. He will ensure that what is due you will come to you. Is that not what we want in this country? Is the poor support base responsible for the purchase of nomination form for Gen. Buhari? Or how did he get the form? Buhari procured his nomination form. Is it not? How it is bought and whether it was bought from the bank. should not be a problem. I don’t know why Nigerians like to dwell on things that don’t matter. Oh he didn’t get it on time? Why did he have to wait till the last minute? Was he late? They ask why Nigerians had to buy form for him. Was the form not bought? Let the media not take that as a story. We have all resolved to support Buhari and stand with him through this period till he emerges as president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in a few weeks’ time. You are contesting for Bayelsa East senatorial seat. This is the president’s senatorial district. Do you think all will go well for you? It all depends on the people of Bayelsa East senatorial district. I am from Bayelsa East senatorial district. My mother is from the Bayelsa East senatorial district. My father is from Bayelsa East. My grandfather is from Bayelsa East district. I want my opponent to also present his credentials. Is he truly from Bayelsa East district? Will the people stand up for it? If the people of the Bayelsa East district say today that they prefer a white man to represent them, no problem but I believe that they will choose me whether it is the president’s senatorial district or not. It will be a secondary matter. I have been with my people. I was born in the senatorial district and grew up in the senatorial district. I have bonds there – I have sisters and brothers across the district. I think I am in a better position to represent Bayelsa senatorial district than any of those pretending to contest. As far as am concerned they are pretending to contest because they really do not have the credentials to contest as senator of the district. What about the chances of other candidates of your party at the state and National Assembly? The chances are high and sure. We, in the APC, carefully chose our candidates. We weighed our weaknesses and our strengths and we took into cognizance, the weaknesses and strength of our opponents. And I want to assure you that we will surprise Bayelsa. APC House of Assembly candidates will sweep the polls. We know what we are doing. And if you know the PDP, we know what they will want to do. It is just to rig. They have never won in a free and fair election, we will beat them. Look at Brass local government area, they have been doing everything to intimidate our candidate. They have harassed him, hounded him, threatened him with arrest with false charges. Is that what PDP call politics because they are afraid to contest elections? They put up charges against people. My former chief of staff who is contesting for a House of Representatives seat was charged for murder until he was discharged and acquitted by the court. They wanted to kill him but God intervened. These are the only way they think they can win. They want to get our people out of the way. But in a natural contest between the APC and PDP candidates, you know that the PDP will not win. I have seen their candidates and they have no serious candidates. The PDP have chased out all their serious candidates. All their serious candidates like Heineken Lokpobiri were chased out. I thought he would have given us a good fight at the Bayelsa West senatorial district. He was chased out. We are very happy at the development. They are only left with the drags and we will make sure we defeat the drags. Unfortunately as a party, once the PDP sees that you are too good within the party, they chase you out. At your birthday ceremony, you hinted that there was pressure on you to return to the PDP, after which some charges against you will be dropped. What are those charges? Naturally, they did. The carrot was big. If I go back to them, the charges will be dropped. It is natural. And I said look, I have carried on with this matter, I will finish it because I am not afraid. Every charge against me is false. I don’t have a house in Yenagoa. I didn’t build a house in Yenagoa. Or have you seen my home? Some of the governors, before they start, they build fantastic houses. We see them. I served my people with all my heart. I had all kinds of economic problems and was sabotaged from the centre by the president himself. And against all odds and withholding what was due to the state, they frustrated me. What kind of presidency are you offering? And when I was preparing to receive the president to the state, they had perfected the plan to embarrass me. They only succeeded in embarrassing themselves and not me. After that Bayelsa people received me well. Are you sure that the youthful composition of the administration did not contribute to some issues that brought it down? I am a young person and I grew up among them. And I told many of my aides that by the time I was their age, I was already an assembly member at the age of 27 years. So, I don’t see them as too young to attain any office. During my administration, I appointed one of the youngest commissioners. Some of them got married as commissioners because I never saw age as yardstick for consideration. But many consider you as betraying your brother’s administration by supporting the APC and Buhari. How would you react to this? Please, go and ask my so called brother. If he is really my brother? I don’t think he is my brother. Who is your brother? Your brother is who looks after you. He who looks after your back. This is a so-called brother who pushed me to the fox. As far as am concerned, my brother is the one I met on the street and took me into his home. And I am sure you will agree with me that a brother who pushed me into the street for the fox to eat me up is not my brother. As far as am concerned, I don’t see him as a brother anymore. Please, I don’t think Bayelsa should make the mistake. His problem is that he only thinks after himself. And we should be careful. Let us look, what has Bayelsa gained from the presidency? Where is the federal project in the state that is significant? I don’t see any. Not even electricity is available in Otuoke. And you have the presidency. If I have somebody else that is not my brother but a friend with my interest at heart, it is better. Sometimes a good friend is better than a bad brother. If a good friend can come and give us electricity and good jobs, I will go for that good friend rather than go for that bad brother. Look at Bayelsa. Look at Niger Delta. Look at the East-West road under a brother. Why hasn’t he been able to fix the East-West road under a brother? Why is the Brass LNG not working under a brother? Because we know where the project was under Obasanjo. Why is it that all they promised us under amnesty has not been fulfilled? You remember they promised us a new city. Where are those small cities under our brother? Is there any serious institution established here to empower our youths to give them skills? Where is the institution built in Bayelsa? Nothing has been done. What has been done is that some private jets have been bought by their cronies. Is that what Bayelsa is about? Is that what Niger Delta presidency is about? We all fought for this power but certain people have hijacked it. Did we escort them to this world? The whole idea is the rural development of Niger Delta. What we need is a committed person to the development of Niger Delta. But why have some of your followers abandoned you inspite of your political ideology? Naturally, supporters leave you and some will follow you. I have also gained new supporters. And I have also lost some supporters. Some people only follow the money. These are people who think from their stomach. And others think from their head. These two types form the basis of my support. Those who think with their heads are still with me, while those who think with their stomach have left. Their stomach have directed them to where they can find food. Some of them confessed to me. That is how they are and can never change. That is their nature. I must tell you that I have a lot of support. At some point, it overwhelmed me. At another point, it made me wonder because they have stood by me. In the end, the most important thing is that God has not left me. That is the greatest support of all.
Posted on: Fri, 16 Jan 2015 17:20:29 +0000
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