Cracks In Sylva’s Camp As Aides Resign

The resignation  of Bayelsa State Commissioner of Youth, Conflict Resolution and Employment Generation, Bekeakpor Etifa has further widened the cracks in Governor Timipre Sylva’s camp following his failure to clinch the party’s ticket for February 2012 governorship elections in the state

Etifa, who is Sylva’s  close ally and pointman for the Ekeremor axis, was effectively used to checkmate his former deputy, Mr Peremobowei Ebebi during the local government and April general elections.

Mr Etifa in his resignation letter  handed over to the Secretary of the State Government  had cited family and  business demands for his action but political observers believed that it has to do more with changing of loyalty than what he advanced as reason for quitting.

Few days after the primary election, two political aides of the embattled governor, Mr Gesiye Isowo, Senior Assistant in charge of Orientation and Special Adviser on Inter-Party Relations, Mr Stephen Diver resigned their appointments to join Seriake Dickson, the man who won the primary.

There are indications that more of  Sylva’s political aides may resign their appointments in the coming weeks to join the “favoured” in order not to be left floating when the expected new administration comes on board.

Meanwhile, Chief Timipre Sylva, has condemned the arrest and unlawful detention of 70 of his supporters in Lokoja, Kogi State.

The governor’s supporters were intercepted about 5. 00 pm on Sunday on their way to Abuja to show solidarity with the governor at the hearing of the case on tenure for five Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governors at the Supreme Court on Monday.

Comprising mainly PDP Ward Chairmen, the supporters were travelling in six buses and a car. They were arrested and taken to the police headquarters in Lokoja where they were detained till 10.00 pm. Thereafter, they were left to fix their own accommodation for the night, and later escorted  to Okene  a return journey to Bayelsa early on Monday.

In a press statement issued same day, and signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Doifie Ola, Governor Sylva described the arrest as a sad reminder of Nigeria’s dark days of military rule.

“Our constitution allows for the freedom of movement for every Nigerian as well as freedom of association. This is another in the series of recent happenings by agents of the Federal Government to truncate democracy in the face and injure the rights of Bayelsa people to freely decide their political future,” he said.

The governor, however, pleaded with all his supporters to remain calm and law abiding in the face of what he described as undue provocation, assuring that “the will of God through the people of Bayelsa State shall surely prevail in the evolving political imbroglio in the state.”