The predicted political gridlock in Bayelsa State, south-south Nigeria, seems here already as the powerful politicians in the Central Working Committee of the country’s ruling party, the People’s Democratic Party, released its final list of hopefuls in the critical primaries that would produce the states’s governorship candidate, while completely leaving out the name of incumbent Governor, Mr. Timipre Sylva.
The final list, in spite of an elaborate declaration of intent rally by Governor Sylva on Saturday that he had been cleared by the local electoral committee of the PDP in Bayelsa State, presenting a clearance certificate he said, he had been duly cleared to run in the primaries. The name of Sylva, that of media magnate Ben Murray Bruce, former Niger-Delta Development Commission boss Timi Alaibe, and others were conspicuously left out. It was a decision that the PDP Central Working Committee had instigated piecemeal to avoid an expected public outcry. In a final showdown this Sunday, Sylva, like the wounded lion of a priced pride, drew a line in the sand by announcing that he would not run on the platform of the PDP, a party that is demonstrating little care for internal democracy and grassroots inputs.
Sharpedgenews.com gathered Sunday night that the powers-that-be in Abuja do not only want to see Sylva fall from grace, theyhave scripted a clear path to jail for him.
President Goodluck Jonathan, one of Silva’s predecessors as governor of Bayelsa, has never hidden the fact of his disdain for incumbent governor of the state. Jonathan tried hard the last time to ensure that Sylva did not emerge as the elected leader of the state, but as a survivalist, Sylva was unstoppable. And when Jonathan’s boss, late President Umaru Yar’Adua became sick, Silva pledged allegiance to the cabal that undermined Nigerians’ intelligence and held the nation to ransom. He even accused pf squandering close to N500 million to ensure that Jonathan did not succeed Yar’Adua, who had vegetated, sadly, away. And when, recently, Sylva got high and recklessly threatened the president’s brother that he would annihilate the first family ad close relations, he (Sylva) was declared a “security risk” that must be flushed out and shipped away to jail.
Silva told a crowd of supporters in Yenagoa on Saturday that he has about 9 elected federal legislators on his side. Women of the state, who sang his praises for appointing an unprecedented 8 local government chairmen who are female, say he is “gender sensitive” and that they would die for him.
About 8 people have died in street violence, said to be unconnected to the present PDP fiasco in the state. But those who deny that violent street fights have no political undertones do not explain the root causes either.
Silva said on Sunday that he “considers it disturbing that his full membership of the PDP is being abridged. In particular, his fundamental right to vote and be voted for has been trampled upon by his own party, a party he has contributed so much in building. Consequently, Governor Sylva and his supporters are reviewing the NWC decision”.
“Governor Sylva notes that the NWC decision does not annul his membership of the PDP. As Governor of Bayelsa State under the platform of the PDP, Sylva remains the leader of the party in the state. As a loyal party person, he will participate in all party activities”.
“Similarly, Governor Sylva wishes to bring to the attention of the public reports alleging that there are attempts to arrest him on trumped-up treasonable felony charges. The story is that there is a tape in which he threatened to kill President Goodluck Jonathan. This is completely false. At no time did Sylva threaten to kill President Jonathan. He has no reason whatsoever to wish the president or any other person dead”.
“Governor Sylva enjoins the people of Bayelsa State, especially his numerous supporters to remain calm, law-abiding and hopeful”.
“The people of Bayelsa State shall prevail”.