Alfred Lahiri, Abuja
Ijaw National Leader, Pa- Edwin Clark, has accused the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, and the All Progressives Congress, gubernatorial candidate, in Bayelsa State, in the November 11, governorship election, Chief Timipre Sylva of trying to destroy the state with violence.
Clark made the observation in his open letter to Chief Timipre Sylva, titled: RE: “ELECTION VIOLENCE IN BAYELSA STATE AND YOUR INORDINATE AMBITION TO RULE THE STATE AGAIN.”
According to the elderstatesman, despite all his fatherly advice and support for Sylva’s ambition to become the governor of the state after former president Good luck Jonathan and his recent presidential ambition, which in one way or the order helped him, Sylva unfortunately burnt the goodwill he has for him when he championed violence in the general elections on two occasions in Bayelsa State.
The Ijaw leader reminded Sylva of his violent disposition during the contest for the governorship of the state between him and Senator Seriake Dickson, where innocent citizens became victims of violence in the state.
Clark further recalled that during the 2019 General Elections as an APC leader, Sylva engaged in violent activities during the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the State.
He disclosed that at the end of the election, the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum with him as the leader issued a statement condemning him and Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, who was the Minister of Transportation in former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government for championing violence during the election in Bayelsa and Rivers States.
According to Clark, it’s very unfortunate and terribly disappointing that Sylva has not stopped his brutal and violent approach to elections.
He stressed that the statement made by Sylva’s running mate in Brass during campaign has gone viral in the media, where the running mate said that “anyone who misbehaves will be thrown into the river to drown”, “some people will die, it’s not the first time people die in elections”.
He said four days to the governorship election, that Sylva and his running mate were yet to renounced the statement rather; he was trying to defend his running mate.
“Too bad. This categorically demonstrates that you are a security risk during general elections in the State.” Clark said.
According to Clark, he is not surprised that Sylva has a penchant for violence stressing that violence runs in his political activities.
He said he observed during that Sylva’s tenure in office as Governor of Bayelsa State, that he appointed a security committee under the leadership of the late Mr. Richard Kpodo, from Torufani, and the name of the security outfit was called Operation Famou Tangbe.
He said the meaning of the gang was ‘kill and throw away’, adding that it was common knowledge that the security outfit committed a lot of atrocities in Bayelsa State, including killings, raping, harassing political opponents, etc, until the Presidency intervened.
” You can therefore see the reasons why most of our Ijaw people in Bayelsa and other residents are against your candidature for fear of insecurity and victimization of political opponents and innocent citizens.” He said.
The full statement.
Chief Timipre Sylva,
APC Gubernatorial Candidate,
Bayelsa State.
My Dear Son,
OPEN LETTER
RE: ELECTION VIOLENCE IN BAYELSA STATE AND YOUR INORDINATE AMBITION TO RULE THE STATE AGAIN
This my letter will come to you as a surprise because to you, you have done nothing to offend me or against Ijaw people.
This you demonstrated when you excitingly paid me an unscheduled visit during which you stated that you have come to obtain your father’s blessings before you will go and see Mr. President. You then mentioned that some of your colleagues from the north have bought you a presidential form at the cost of ₦100 million.
Thereafter, we celebrated and I offered you my fatherly blessings in your contest to be a Presidential Aspirant of the APC.
We still feel that the goodwill which existed between me and you and His Royal Majesty, King Edmund Daukoru of Nembe Kingdom, your former boss, still exist when I single-handedly contributed to your becoming the successor of then Vice President Goodluck Jonathan, when he became the running mate to late President Umaru Yar’adua in 2007.
All that is now history. Unfortunately, you burnt the goodwill I have for you when you championed violence in the general elections on two occasions in Bayelsa State.
Firstly, it was during the gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State between you and Senator Seriake Dickson, where both of you because of your personal ambition imposed violence on the innocent citizens of Bayelsa State.
I remember criticizing both of you at a press conference in Abuja, and I reproduce hereunder the extract of that press conference as reported in the Vanguard newspaper of 14th January, 2016;
“Bayelsa: Dickson, Sylva not democrats —Clark
FORMER Federal Commissioner for Information and an Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark, yesterday, described Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and former Governor Timipre Sylva as non-democrats who do not know anything about democracy, adding that all they were interested in was grabbing power.
Addressing newsmen at his Asokoro residence, Abuja, Chief Clark, who described the violence that characterized the Bayelsa State governorship election where lives were lost as a brazen and open show of shame, accused both candidates of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, and All Progressives Congress, APC, of being responsible because of the level of desperation that enveloped them.
Chief Clark, who said he was constrained to talk even though he had resigned from partisan politics because of what happened during the governorship election, stressed that he cannot exonerate the two contenders of the violence.
He said, “The two contestants have served the people as governor of the state, the people already know their individual capabilities. They should have allowed the electorate to peacefully decide who they wanted. It is very unfortunate that both of them are not democrats and therefore, they do not know what democracy means. What they know is power.”
The Ijaw leader who explained that the political violence in Bayelsa State was due to desperation and greed, stressed that if both Dickson and Sylva had put 1/10th of the efforts they placed in the Bayelsa State election in the Presidential election of March 28, 2015 to campaign for their various Presidential candidates, both former President Goodluck Jonathan and President Muhammadu Buhari would have had higher figures in their election in Bayelsa”.
Again, during the 2019 General Elections as an APC politician, you engaged in violence activities during the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the State. At the end of the election, the Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum which I lead, issued a statement condemning you and Rt. Hon. RotimiAmaechi, who was the Minister of Transportation in former President Muhammadu Buhari’s government for championing violence during the election in Bayelsa and Rivers States.
I reproduce hereunder the text of the statement which was published in all the media, and I remember you read the statement and phoned me that you thought you are my son and I should not be condemning you publicly;
“Call Amaechi, Sylva to order, Southern, Middle Belt Leaders tell Buhari.
The Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum has expressed deep worry over the turn of events in Rivers State over the gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections held on the 9th of March, 2019 which has now been suspended by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) indefinitely.
The forum in a statement signed by Chief E.K. Clark -PANDEF Leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo-for Afenifere Leader, Chief John Nwodo – President General Ohanaeze and Dr. Pogu Bitrus, President -Middle Belt Forum quoted Mr. Festus Okoye, INEC National Commissioner as saying, “Initial reports suggest that violence occurred in substantial number of polling units and collation centres; staff have been taken hostage and materials including result sheets have either been seized or destroyed by unauthorized persons.
“In addition, safety of our staff appears to be in jeopardy all over the state and the commission is concerned about the credibility of the process.
“Consequently, at a meeting held Sunday, March 10, the commission has decided to suspend all electoral processes in the state until further notice”.
It however said that the statements actually codified what members of the ruling party led by Minister of Transport, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi had been doing in a state where APC had no official governorship candidate adding that Soldiers, Air Force personnel and thugs had been deployed to terrorize opponents, INEC officials and many citizens in Rivers State in the last few days thereby creating a state of panic and anxiety all over the state.
The forum posited that there had been a spill-over of the Rivers situation to Bayelsa State where Mr. Timpire Sylva of the ruling APC had also been alleged to be terrorizing residents with impunity.
“We call on the President to call Messrs Amaechi and Sylva to order and restore normalcy so that the electoral process in Rivers State in particular can be concluded.
“Indeed, if we are a Republic governed by law, Mr. Rotimi Amaechi and Mr. Timpire Sylva should have been arrested by now for the wanton violence they have instigated.
“There has been peace in the Niger Delta in recent time and it would be sad if the President’s men provoke a situation that will disrupt the peace of the region with serious implications for the whole country”, it said.
While decrying the role security agents had played in Imo where the collation centre was invaded and election materials carted away, it however warned of serious consequences if such crude methods were used to violate the will of the people.
It continued,” The militarization of several areas of the country for the Governorship elections has been a serious blight on our democratic experiment and the President should have seen how voters across the country have now resorted to shunning polling booths for fear of their safety. The sad part is that these soldiers have only played the role of intimidation and not to guarantee safety as we have seen how lack of security forced non-indigenes to stay in-door in Lagos during elections.
“The Chief of Army staff should bury his head in shame as all his assurances of neutrality of the Army has come to naught as his men were involved in undue interference in the electoral process and harassment of opposition elements.
“We have also noted how elections are now being declared inconclusive in many states where the ruling party is having challenges with results. As at last count, this has taken place in Adamawa, Bauchi, Plateau, Kano and Sokoto states. This development is worrisome and is capable of creating serious stress for the system. We must learn from history and not overstretch the system the way the ruling party is doing”.
I am terribly disappointed that you have not stopped this brutal and violent approach to election. The statement made by your running mate in Brass during campaign has gone viral in the media that “anyone who misbehaves will be thrown into the river to drown”, “some people will die, it’s not the first time people die in elections”.
You have not renounced the statement rather; you are trying to defend him. Too bad. This categorically demonstrates that you are a security risk during general elections in the State.
Finally, on this issue of violence, I observed during your tenure in office as Governor of Bayelsa State, you appointed a security committee under the leadership of one militant fellow, late Mr. Richard Kpodo, from Torufani, and the name of the security outfit was called Operation Famou Tangbe, meaning ‘kill and throw away’. It is common knowledge that this security outfit committed a lot of atrocities in Bayelsa State, including killings, raping, harassing political opponents, etc, until the Presidency intervened. You can therefore see the reasons why most of our Ijaw people in Bayelsa and other residents are against your candidature for fear of insecurity and victimization of political opponents and innocent citizens.
THE RECENT COURT OF APPEAL JUDGEMENT DID NOT EXONERATE YOU FOR BREACHING THE AMENDED 1999 CONSTITUTION OF THE REDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA
It may be said that even though the Court of Appeal has dismissed the decision of the High Court on technical ground that the Court had no jurisdiction and therefore the judgement of the lower court disqualifying you was a nullity but remember that it did not deliberate on the substance of the case. It is quite clear that you can only contest for another period of four years and not three years and that is why you are not qualified because your first one year in office between 2007 and 2008 shall be taken into account i.e. you have already done five years as Governor of Bayelsa State.
If you win an election for another four years, it will be nine years which the 1999 amended Constitution forbid. See the Supreme Court decision in the case of Brig. Gen. Mohammed Buba Marwa & Ors Vs Admiral Murtala Nyako & Ors in suit number 3PLR/2012/19(SC). It is therefore quite clear from the constitutional provision stated above that neither President nor Governor should exceed eight years in office.
These constitutional provisions will still be addressed even if you in the most unlikely won the election. I wish to go further to state that Goodluck Jonathan was qualified to contest the 2015 Presidential election because the amendment made thereafter was to prevent such an occurrence and the cases sighted in your television interview are no longer relevant. Right now, there is a clear constitutional amendment.
You know very well under the amended 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, particularly Section 180(2a) and 182(3) which say;
“Section 180(2A); In the determination of the four year terms, where a re-run election has taken place and the person earlier sworn in wins the re-run election, the time spent in office before the date the election was annulled shall be taken into account.”
“Section 182(3); A person who was sworn in as Governor to complete the term for which another person was elected as Governor shall not be elected to such office for more than a single term.”
My very good son, apart from the above, there are very many issues some of which I listed below that will not make the acceptability of your candidature during the election;
1. YOU ARE UNPATRIOTIC AND ANTI-IJAW POSTURE AS MINISTER OF STATE PETROLEUM UNDER MUHAMMADU BUHARI
As a Petroleum Minister of State in Muhammadu Buhari’s Government, you performed a series of atrocities against your own ethnic nationalities in order to remain in office and you are being compromised in various dealings such as;
(a.) THE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY BILL (PIB)-The original Government provision in the PIB was to provide 10% for the Host Communities. I state hereunder the portion of the Bill which reads as follows;
“A part of the original bill including; All upstream petroleum operators in onshore areas and in the offshore and shallow water areas will remit 10% of their net profit on a monthly basis to the PHC fund, while remittance relating to activities in deepwater areas will be for the Petroleum Producing Littoral States”.
Tension has encased the Coastal population of Niger Delta following the National Assembly decision to sustain 3% equity stack for oil and gas producing communities in the PIB despite protest from stakeholders, while permitting 30% for exploration activities on frontier basis particularly in the North.
It could be recalled that Sen. Seriake Dickson, former governor of Bayelsa State criticised you and your Pet Senator Eremienyon Degi for supporting the 3% award and Dickson said in his statement published in Punch of July 25, 2021;
“Dickson told Journalists that President Muhammadu Buhari (rtd) should withhold accent to the Bill to avoid crisis in the Niger-Delta region because the people of the area were not happy with the 3% equity share approved for Host Communities.
He had lamented that while the Buhari led regime proposed 5% for the host communities in the original bill sent to the National Assembly, the Minister for State Petroleum resources Timipre Sylva while addressing the Senate said “approving anything above 2.5% for the host communities would discourage investors”.
This was the position held by the Niger Delta Oil Producing Communities and other Nigerians who recognised our sufferings in the hands of the International Oil Companies (IOCs). This was our position until the Bill was passed. You, as Minister of State Petroleum, Mele Kyari, the Group Managing Director (GMD) of NNPCL and the IOCs officials visited the National Assembly where you agreed with the Senate on 3% instead of 10% or 5%. You are no doubt a flyer and a hero to the Federal Government at the time and our detractors particularly in the north. Even, the insulting and oppressive 3% you imposed on our people, you made no effort to implement it before you left office.
(b.) The exclusion of the majority of the Niger Delta Oil Producing States particularly, the Ijaws, your people, some of whom were short-listed during the award of 57 Oil Marginal Field contract were excluded. The Bayelsa State government as published in the Guardian of Thursday July 15, 2021 protested to President Muhammadu Buhari on the revocation of the Atala Marginal Oil Field and its re-award to other non Niger Deltans. The Bayelsa State Government stated that the Atala Marginal Oil Field is the prized asset of Bayelsa State but you did not listen to the appeal.
2. YOUR POOR LEADERSHIP OF APC IN BAYELSA STATE IS SELF-CENTRED AND DISHONEST
Your refusal to conduct open, free and fair primaries under the APC constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 has no doubt cost serious division in the party particularly amongst the leaders and has definitely affected the development of the party in the state. To mention a few examples, your relationship with Heineken Lokpobri is still very poor, and I listened to your supporters accusing him of not participating in your campaigns. Same with Mr. David Lyon, whom you promoted for the Governorship of Bayelsa State in 2019, but later lost the Governorship to PDP due to the unqualified running mate you imposed on him. Your actions which are now regarded as deliberate because you now want to take his place without free and fair primary elections which David Lyon wanted to contest with you without any bitterness, but you announced yourself winner of the so called kangaroo primaries. One would have expected that you will support David Lyon to have a second chance.
3. THE IMPOSITION OF SENATORIAL CANDIDATE
It would be recalled that President Muhammadu Buhari announced publicly on NTA that Amb. Godknows Igali, a former first class public functionary and technocrat, will be the Senatorial candidate for Central Senatorial zone in Bayelsa State. This singular reach out of President Buhari was applauded by most Nigerians and especially Bayelsans, irrespective of political party. You disobeyed your then boss, President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive and worked against Amb. Godknows Igali who was co-opted to strengthen your party and give Bayelsa State and the Niger Delta high level representation in the Senate by your refusal to hold primaries on the schedule date. You invited six of the candidates to your house in Yenagoa and imposed one Abel Ebifemowei, erstwhile assistant to late former Governor Diepriye Alamieseigha, who has no clout as your candidate because you wanted someone that you can control. But surprisingly, the Major General, who was to conduct the primaries, fraudulently announced at 2am over the media that the primaries were held and your nominated candidate scored over 2000 votes and you scored Amb. Godknows Igali and others very low. You misrepresented to Muhammadu Buhari and the Chief of Staff, Prof. Ibrahim Gambari that Amb. Godknows Igali lost the primaries which was blatant lies.
4. YOU COMMITTED SERIOUS HOUSE OF CORRUPTION AS GOVERNOR OF BAYELSA STATE FOR 5 YEARS
It would be recalled that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) seriously investigated you when you left office and finally charged you to court after you left office. It was when you changed your party from PDP to APC after you lost your nomination for re-election in the PDP primaries you were pardoned by Muhammadu Buhari, and thereafter, the Federal Attorney General entered plea on Nolle Prosequi meaning that;
“An entry on the record of a legal action denoting that the prosecutor or plaintiff may proceed no further in an action or suit either as a whole or as to some count or as to first or more of several defendants”. Refer to reports in Punch Newspapers of …., Vanguard Newspaper of 3rd October, 2016, Premium Times of 3rd October, 2016, 4th September, 2017, Daily Post of 4th September, 2017, etc.
And as a result, all your confiscated properties which you acquired with the wealth of Bayelsa State were returned to you. I sit here in my vantage position and receive daily visits from responsible former members of the party, APC, who you have abandoned. So how will you win?
I wish you to have a re-think and allow free and fair election without violence, and allow peace to reign in Bayelsa State throughout the election.
As the leader of Ijaw nation in which position I contributed immensely to your becoming the Governor of Bayelsa State in 2007, consequently, I also have a duty to object to your ambition to be re-elected for another term having witnessed your poor performance, violence and unpatriotic son of Ijaw nation. Indeed, don’t you think that for the good of your people in Bayelsa, the incumbent Governor Sen. Douye Diri who all adjudged to have performed well, including constructing roads and bridges to the deep creeks should be given another chance? Did you hear President Olusegun Obasanjo who visited Bayelsa on 2nd November, 2023 and after commissioning several projects, said “what is happening here is unprecedented in Nigeria”. I think Governor Diri should be voted by the people to return and complete his ongoing works.
However, if you insist despite this advice to try your luck, have a re-think and allow free and fair elections and peace in all of Bayelsa, including your hometown, Nembe, which is already becoming a war zone.
Thank you and God bless.
