My Passionate Appeal To Chief Timipre Sylva On The Ongoing Election Tribunal

Beside the fact that the Spirit of the Time was against Sylva, over 85% of the leaders and critical stakeholders of his party, the APC were also against him for obvious reasons. The above was worsened by his refusal to use his privileged and very revered position as the then Minister of State for Petroleum Resources to help or empower Bayelsans and other Ijaws.

Sylva knew he was planning to contest for the office of the Governor of Bayelsa State against a performing incumbent Governor Douye Diri but deliberately refused to help anybody.

Sylva gave crude allocation and others to non-Bayelsans and other Ijaws but deliberately refused to empower leaders and members of his party that he will need during the election.

He deliberately impoverished and pauperized members of his party and other Bayelsans and Ijaws so that whenever he sneezes everybody will catch cold. He wanted to be the only richman so that others will worship him.

Instead of empowering people and also creating good relationship with the Electorates, he was busy causing problems in Nembe and boasting about Presidential Endorsement and the use of Federal Might at this stage of our growing democracy where the Electorates are wiser and the security agencies too do not want to be used as stooges and instruments of destruction.

On the other hand, Gov. Douye Diri prioritized restoration of Security, Peace and Unity in Bayelsa State. Senator Diri eliminated the hitherto enmity among members of the various political parties in the State. He never made or saw himself as a PDP Governor, rather he said he is Governor for all Bayelsans. He never said it by word, he demonstrated by action. Till this very moment, Gov. Douye Diri empowers members of the opposition more than others.

He believes that we are first born as Bayelsans before membership of any political parties, thus no Bayelsan should be deprived of any benefit by virtue of his or her political beliefs or ideologies.

Bayelsa State of today under Gov. Douye Diri has moved many years or kilometers away from the retrogressive Bayelsa State of yesterday where fly that patched on members of Party A never made mistake to patch on members of Party B because of the bitterness, hatred and enmity that were prevalent. Today, it is near impossible to differentiate members of PDP and APC.

Bayelsans have evolved and developed new political culture to the extent that they are no-longer interested in the political parties that people belong, they are more interested in the character and antecedents of individuals. Bayelsans now Vote for individuals and not political parties.

The above is one of the evidences of how Gov. Douye Diri has built the minds of Bayelsans and the people are now very matured politically.

Presently, other Nigerians are using Bayelsa State to give example of the safest state in the country and also in the area of political tolerance and maturity.

There is no right thinking Bayelsan that will see the massive road projects that Gov Douye Diri is executing that will not appreciate or support his good vision and works.

Look at the Sagbama-Ekeremor Road for instance, the completion of that strategic road has attracted unprecedented development to that area. The commerce and economy of the area has picked up, same with social interactions. It was in appreciation of the above that the people of that area voted overwhelmingly for the reelection of the Governor.

The ongoing Yenagoa-Oporoma-Ukubie Road is another legacy and signature project that is embarked upon by the very courageous Gov. Douye Diri. The positive impacts of that road cannot be quantified.

I lack adequate words to describe the strategic importance of the Nembe-Brass Road that sand filling has reached an advanced stage, over 11kilometres. This is the same road to the hometown of Chief Timipre Sylva that he said the road does not have any economic value despite the fact that the road is connecting the Brass Island that is more than Gold and Diamond Mines out together because of the abundant Crude Oil and Gas, quality sand for manufacture of Glasses and Ceramic, large Ocean body fishing and establishment of fishing factories, tourism, etc.

Bayelsans are shocked at the massive projects including the Glory Drive, Bayelsa Palm-Igbogene Ring Road, Opolo-Elebele Road, Igbedi Road and others that the Governor is constructing alongside the massive Senatorial Roads.

Indeed, it takes only a courageous leader to do what Gov. Douye Diri is doing without making noise or abandoning other sectors like the Education, Health, Sports and others or Civil Servants Welfare and Pensioners.

What happened in Bayelsa State politics has never happened in any state throughout the history of Nigeria’s political evolution.

Chief David Lyon and Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieyo of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won election and they were to be sworn-in, only for the Supreme Court to upturn their victory on the eve of their Inauguration on the allegation of certificate forgery by the Deputy Governor Running Mate.

But who actually orchestrated or sold the issue of Certificate Forgery even though there was no forgery but just name discrepancies or misspellings?

Who played the role of Judas Iscariot to destroy the whole house and also thwart all the efforts simply because he had disagreement with Chief David Lyon on sharing formular over offices couped with the fear that the emergence of Chief David Lyon as Governor will automatically deny him of his position as leader of the APC in Bayelsa State?

Men may plan evil but Almighty God will always turn it around for the good of His people. Today, those human selfish calculations has turned out for good of Bayelsans because Gov. Douye Diri is one of the best and greatest things that has happened to Bayelsa State.

Bayelsa State is no longer in the news for negative reasons. Bayelsa is the safest state in Nigeria. Bayelsa is one of the greatest states in sports and Bayelsa State politics is now one of the best in Nigeria and even beyond.

Bayelsans and indeed Nigerians who were watching the Second Term Inauguration Ceremony of Gov. Douye Diri were shocked to their marrows when they heard the announcement of rhe names of Chief David Lyon and Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieyo whose esteemed presence added so much flavour and colour to the historic and memorable event.

How on earth will anyone believe that Chief David Lyon and Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieyo could attend the Inauguration of the person that the Supreme Court gave their mandate to?

The above would have been a mystery if the Bayelsa leaders and indeed Bayelsans had not known the Bayelsa Political Maradona who feels he was manipulating everybody to his advantage.

The ill-advised and ill-conceived ambition of the Political Maradona made him to conspire to sell the mandate of his very loyal, trusted allies and confidants. He had ambition for 2023 and he felt that the mandate of Chief David Lyon and Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieyo if actualized will deprive him, so he decided to sell out.

Bayelsans have moved past the 11th November, 2023 Governorship Election. What Bayelsans are concerned is appointment of outstanding personalities that will join hands with Miracle and Prosperity Gov Douye Diri to consolidate on his good works and also ensure that he grooms an outstanding, worthy successor from Bayelsa East Senatorial District in line with the ongoing zoning and rotation.

Bayelsans need someone like Douye Diri that will not have sectional biases, interests or enemies.

Bayelsans need a successor that will carry all sections and segments of the state along like Gov. Douye Diri that does not discriminate or segregate.

Bayelsans need a Pan-Ijaw successor that will know the strategic importance of Bayelsa State to the whole Ijaw Nation and ensure that he carries all sections and segments of the Ijaw Nation along.

Bayelsans need a successor that will be passionate about the security, peace, unity, growth and development of Bayelsa State like Gov. Douye Diri.

Finally, I wish to humbly and passionately Appeal to Chief Timipre Sylva CON to show high level of sportsmanship by jettisoning the post-election litigations that some persons around him mostly non-Bayelsans are using to make so much money from him.

Since there is still so much money, I appeal for payment of my Consultancy Services for the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) now Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and the Oloibiri Oil and Gas Museum and Institute which I delivered on all the assignments and responsibilities that I was assigned which Very Distinguished Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremieyo was witnessed to all our verbal agreements but I have not been paid till date.

~ Most Senior Comrade Wisdom Oniekpar Ikuli a.k.a Mirror and Conscience of Society.