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Bayelsa guber poll: Panic hits Sylva’s camp as loyalists leave in droves
Bayelsa guber poll: Panic hits Sylva’s camp as loyalists leave in droves
By: Michael Mike
As the Bayelsa State governorship election, scheduled for November 11, 2023 gets closer, panic has hit the camp of the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Timipre Sylva, as his support base is being eroded daily with supporters ditching him for the camp of the incumbent governor, Senator Douye Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
The scenario has also been compounded by the reluctance of the national leadership of the party to support his campaign financially.
Only recently, the closest political ally of Sylva, who is also an immediate past member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Israel Sunny Goli, dumped him for the PDP over what was described as irreconcilable differences.
Also, few days ago, the platform of former legislators from 1999 till date declared their support for Governor Diri with the motion of vote of confidence on Diri moved by a former Sylva’s ally, Hon. Robert Enogha, and seconded by Rt. Hon. Werinipre Seibarugu, former Acting Governor and also a deputy governor to Sylva.
The development is becoming a source of worry to his supporters and party leaders in the state.
A close associate of Sylva, who spoke to our reporter in confidence, while taking stock of the political climate in the state ahead of the election, said: “if care is not taken, the way Sylva is going about it, Sylva and his supporters may be plunged into political oblivion and ultimately be retired from the Bayelsa political space, because the events of the past are hunting him and his followers.”
The source recalled how Sylva led a team of his supporters to meet the National Chairman of the APC, Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, to raise N11 billion to support his campaign.
“The team met a brick wall as the Chairman was not enthusiastic about the idea. Rather than buying into the idea as the usual practice during a serious election season like the governorship election, he mockingly threw the task back to Sylva by giving him the task to first list the number of persons he had empowered in his state.
“Sylva and his team were given one hour to do that, while Ganduje waited to no avail and they left the national chairman’s residence with forlorn faces and utter disappointment.”
Another source further expressed disappointment that APC supporters back in Bayelsa State are frightened by daily depletion of supporters, defecting in droves to the ruling PDP with confidence in the Diri administration soaring higher.
The indicators, according to the sources, are gloomy for the APC, so long as free and fair election is conducted in the state.
However, recall that in the past couple of weeks, the media has been agog with reports about the desperation of the APC governorship candidate to win at all cost.
Accusing fingers pointed at his direction over plans to use BVAS machines without appropriate codes, the allegation of co-opting fake policemen and INEC officials to do his bidding.
Also, he tried unsuccessfully to drag the Presidency into his campaign, trying to enlist the support of the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.
His effort was also futile.
Very significant to note is the fact that Sylva is hell bent on returning the state to its dark days during his five years reign of terror. Remember, the bombing of political opponent rallies, the unexplained death of the younger brother of his late ADC whom we gathered was ready to cooperate with the police.
A prominent community leader from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area bursted in anger while condemning his choice of a deputy from a local government that produced the first graduate in the person of late Chief N A Frank Opigo. He said: “Southern Ijaw people are appalled at the APC’s choice of a deputy governorship candidate whose credentials are well known to be questionable. What an insult to our collective sensibilities?
“His deputy governorship candidate we recall was boastful of his jail break while serving a ten year jail term for multiple felonies in Kaduna prison. Whither are we bound? Haba, has Bayelsa State become the state of jokers?”
The question on the lips of vast majority of Bayelsans is: Is there any interest the former Minister of State for Petroleum has other than coming to sell the state just as he was accused of revoking the state most priced asset , the Atala Oil Field OML 46 which is the common patrimony of the land of his birth . OML 46 recall is the marginal oil field allocated to Bayelsa State during the resource control agitations.
Rather than protect it for his state Sylva revoked it and reallocated it to a company that was only incorporated in September 2019 with no single asset or experience using fake receipts and unverifiable investment claims. These are some of the baggage the APC has to contend with in the days ahead of the election.
Bayelsa guber poll: Panic hits Sylva’s camp as loyalists leave in droves
Zulum distributes N250m to 25,000 widows, vulnerable women in Gwoza
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum supervised the distribution of N250 million to over 25,000 widows and vulnerable women through the Borno Renaissance Microfinance Bank in Gwoza Local Government Area on Wednesday.
The distribution took place in four centres, including Central Stadium, Mega Primary School, Government Secondary School and Government Day Secondary School, all in Gwoza town.
The distribution, according to Zulum, was to support women who were victims of the Boko Haram insurgents, some of whom has lost their husbands due to the crisis.
“About 25,000 women benefited from today’s distribution exercise; each of them received N10,000 through the microfinance Bank; we have facilitated the opening of Bank accounts to them to drive financial inclusion,” Zulum said.
He added, “Gradually, we intend to cover all the 27 Local Government Areas and ensure that a sizable number of the population have bank accounts.”
.. Inspects nursing school, approves high Islamic college
Meanwhile, Governor Zulum paid an inspection visit to assess the level and quality of work at the ongoing construction of the school of Nursing in Gwoza.
Zulum, who expressed satisfaction with the quality of the work, directed that the project be completed and put to use in six months.
He explained that his administration decided to establish two new schools of nursing, one in southern Borno and another in Borno north, to address the healthcare needs of Borno’s increasing population.
“The Borno State Government has decided to establish two additional schools of nursing in the state, one in Gwoza and the other in Monguno. This bridges the manpower gap in the health sector, especially in terms of nursing services.
“You have seen the progress, and in sha Allah, this project will be completed in six months. We will ensure hostels are constructed and teachers recruited and, most importantly, enhance the capacity of the General Hospital, Gwoza, to provide a learning environment for the student nurses,” he said.
Before leaving for Maiduguri, Governor Zulum announced a plan to construct a new high Islamic college in Gwoza town that aims to streamline the formal and informal education sectors.
Zulum noted that by establishing the high Islamic college, the government intends to impart proper Islamic comprehension, thereby combating violent extremism among young people.
The governor visited the proposed site for the high Islamic College, which was donated to the Borno State Government by the late Alhaji Muhammad Lawan Buba.
Zulum distributes N250m to 25,000 widows, vulnerable women in Gwoza
FCE Gwoza: Zulum approves N200m, houses for take-off
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor Babagana Umara Zulum has approved N200 million and a housing estate for teachers as a take-off package for the newly established Federal College of Education, Gwoza.
Zulum announced this on Tuesday during an inspection visit to the temporary site of the college allocated to facilitate its take-off.
After approving the allocation of the site in July, 2023, the governor ordered the rehabilitation, which has now reached an advanced stage.
Zulum expressed appreciation for the quality of work at the proposed college site and urged the contractors to fast-track its completion to allow for take-off immediately.
Governor Zulum noted that the estate, which has about 12 units of 2-bedroom houses, was built to accommodate teachers as the college prepares for the first set of students’ admission this year.
Zulum has offered similar support for the take-off of Federal Polytechnic, Monguno with a N100 million grant and a temporary site for the commencement of academic activities.
Zulum had, in the past, extended support to federal government institutions providing the necessary services required for the people of Borno State.
While in Gwoza, Zulum paid homage to the emir, Alhaji Umar Shehu Idrissa Timta, at his palace.
Among many other issues, he discussed plans to resettle communities such as Bita, Hambagda, Wala, Yamteki, Modube, Ashigashiya and Guduf.
Zulum expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving the establishment of the college in Gwoza Local Government Area that was devastated by Boko Haram insurgents.
FCE Gwoza: Zulum approves N200m, houses for take-off
Yobe Goes Spiritual On Insurgents Destroying Electricity Towers
By: Our Reporter
Yobe State government has launched a spiritual war against the Boko Haram insurgents destroying electricity towers which has cut Borno and Yobe states from the national grid for months now.
The towers are part of the Jos – Gombe grid serving Borno and Yobe states with electricity.
After repairing the 330 KVA towers crumbled last February by the insurgents near Kasaisa village, Gujba LGA, cutting the two sister states from electricity supply from the national grid, Governor Mai Mala Buni, on Wednesday, May 15 led a crowd of Muslim clerics in the recitation of the Holy Quran and prayers for God to punish the insurgents crumbling the towers.
The decision followed Governor Buni’s warning that after repairing the towers, he would lead the recitation of the Holy Quran and prayers against the criminals hellbent on denying the two states electricity from the national grid.
It could be recalled that the Yola Electricity Distribution Company (YEDC) recently disclosed that the criminals, for the first time, crumbled the towers in December, 2023, and for the second time, in February, 2024, both of which were repaired by Yobe State government.
Leading Muslim clerics and students of the Holy Quran participated at Wednesday’s recitation and prayers session, where cows were sacrificed for Allah to expose and punish the insurgents crumbling the electricity towers.
The prayer session was for Allah to expose and punish the criminals, their sponsors, their supporters, those who help them with the tools used in the destruction of the towers, their transporters to the scene of the crime, whoever knows but refuses to expose them; buyers of the vandalized tower parts, and transformers thieves.
Yobe Goes Spiritual On Insurgents Destroying Electricity Towers
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