Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and ex-Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, has alleged that he is the victim of a sustained campaign of political persecution, following a public notice by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declaring him wanted.
Speaking through his media aide, Julius Bokoru, Sylva accused the anti-graft agency of failing to follow due process, insisting that no formal communication or official notice was extended to the former minister before the public declaration.
“No formal communication was extended to him, no established protocol observed, only a sudden digital proclamation designed, it would seem, to inflame public sentiment and manufacture yet another episode of orchestrated hostility,” Bokoru stated on behalf of his boss.
Bokoru described the development as politically motivated, suggesting that “shadowy forces” were behind what he termed a “cinematic transition” of allegations against Sylva—from rumours of a coup plot to sudden financial accusations.
“It is, to say the least, curious that what was once whispered in corridors as a ‘coup matter’ has now quietly metamorphosed into a financial allegation,” he said.
“Some shadowy forces that once sought to criminalise Sylva politically now appear to have reinvented themselves as fiscal crusaders.”
Bokoru likened Sylva’s ordeal to the biblical story of Job, describing it as a “coordinated and calculated political onslaught” aimed at diminishing the former minister’s influence.
“Chief Timipre Sylva remains, without equivocation, the target of a coordinated and calculated political onslaught. His recent travails bear an uncanny resemblance to the trials of Job in Holy Scripture—each ordeal arriving with near-mathematical precision, each accusation discredited only for another to appear,” he lamented.
Despite the controversy, Bokoru maintained that Sylva is a law-abiding citizen who respects Nigeria’s institutions. He disclosed that the former minister is currently on a medical trip in the United Kingdom and would honour the EFCC’s invitation upon his return.
“Chief Sylva will, in line with his respect for lawful institutions and due process, honour the invitation of the EFCC once he concludes his ongoing medical check-up in the United Kingdom,” Bokoru assured.
He further alleged that the smear campaign against Sylva is driven by fear of his “enduring political relevance,” describing the situation as a theatre of persecution.
“These are no coincidences; they are the deliberate machinations of those who dread Sylva’s enduring political relevance and moral resolve. The desperation to sully Sylva’s name knows no restraint—its sponsors are zealous, its intentions transparent, and its malice unmistakable,” he said.
Defending his principal’s integrity, Bokoru asserted that Sylva has no financial misconduct to his name, particularly concerning the refinery project under investigation.
“Chief Timipre Sylva has clean hands. He has not diverted a single dollar, nor has he betrayed the trust reposed in him by the Nigerian people. The refinery project in question is a legitimate, transparent, and verifiable undertaking—subject to due process and traceable documentation,” he affirmed.
Concluding his statement, Bokoru urged Sylva’s supporters to remain calm, expressing confidence that truth would eventually prevail.
“To our friends, allies, and well-wishers: this, too, shall pass. Truth, though often delayed, remains immutable. Those engineering this relentless campaign of defamation will not prevail—for light, by its very nature, must always outshine darkness.”
#TimipreSylva #SylvaSpeaks #EFCC #PoliticalPersecution #NigeriaPolitics #Bayelsa #CorruptionAllegations #EFCCNigeria #JusticeForSylva #BreakingNews #iWitnessLive #GoodGovernance #RuleOfLaw #NigeriaNews #Accountability
