There were claims, on Thursday, that the Pastor of State for Petrol Assets, Boss Timipre, had surrendered his situation as priest to seek after his desire as legislative head of Bayelsa State, yet senior authorities of his service couldn’t affirm this.
They refused to confirm whether Sylva had resigned, despite the fact that they acknowledged that the All Progressives Congress’ rule required the minister to resign 30 days before the April 14, 2023, governorship primary.
I am unable to tell you whether he has resigned because I have not seen his resignation letter. However, you are aware that the party’s rule states that candidates must have resigned for at least 30 days prior to the primaries.
An impeccable source at the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources, who requested anonymity due to a lack of authorization, stated, “So if he has sent his resignation letter to the President, I cannot confirm, but the fact remains that he is for the office of the governor of Bayelsa State.” This source did not wish to be identified due to a lack of authorization.
In the past, Sylva had held the position of Governor of Bayelsa for one full term, from 2008 to 2012. He belonged to the People’s Democratic Party at the time.
During Sylva’s time as governor, the Federal Government was run by the PDP, which is now an opposition party.
Recently, it was reported that some APC members in Bayelsa State had asked the party’s national leadership to disqualify Sylva from running in the party’s governorship primaries because he wouldn’t quit being a minister.
According to the report, in a petition to the party’s national leadership, party members from 43 Wards in the state’s Ekeremor, Ogbia, Sagbama, Kolokuma/Opokuma, and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas noted that the minister had not resigned at the time of the screening.