Strong indications have emerged that the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has resigned his appointment as minister.
Sylva, a former Governor of Bayelsa State has purchased the All Progressives Congress nomination and expression of interest forms for the Bayelsa governorship election scheduled for November 11, 2023.
Although sources say that he may have resigned as minister, Sylva’s resignation is still subject of controversy as he has not made public of the purported decision.
His party, the APC by its rule makes it mandatory for him to resign 30 days to the primary election scheduled for April 14.
Sylva who was Governor of Bayelsa State for one term between 2008 and 2012 under the then ruling Peoples Democratic Party is seeking re-election as Governor.
He is known to have savoured a second term in office and has kept an eye on the Governorship seat currently occupied by Governor Douye Diri.
He is expected to contest in the primary with former Guber Candidate, David Lyon, from the Southern Ijaw LGA, who was declared winner in 2019.
Lyon’s election was invalidated barely 24 hours to his swearing in by the Supreme Court because his running mate, Senator Degi Eremienyo Wangagha submitted a fake certificate to INEC.
Neither Sylva nor the Ministry of Petroleum has made any comment about the strong speculations around the office of the minister.
