By Dada Aladelokun, The Nation Newspaper 16 December 2011

Turbulence in Bayelsa State

ONE state that has been on the political radar throughout the year is Bayelsa. Governor Timipre Sylva has been fighting to save his political career.He has remained in the eye of the storm which is believed have been masterminded by his political opponents in Abuja. To them, Sylva’s much-desired return to the state’s number-one seat through next year’s governorship election will only fructify if they are politically dead and buried. They are men of grit and power. They dictate what happens in the party and polity. Therefore, they must be obeyed by all, including governors.Far back before the 2007 elections, Sylva had got acquainted with the fact that politics in the part of the country is not for the lily-livered. Even after braing the odds in his own ‘family,’ the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), he was soon to face a stiffer storm against his opponents. He did a grim political duel with Action Congress’s (AC) governorship flag-bearer, Ebitimi Amgbare, among others.While after the poll Sylva was popping the champagne, Amgbare was belly-aching. Eventually, he not only kicked, he cried to the tribunal with the allegation that there was no governorship election in the state, alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) merely allocated results to parties that participated in the elections.The AC also accused INEC of conniving with the PDP to cook up results. The PDP and INEC denied the allegations and defended the results at the tribunal.The state’s Elections Petition Tribunal looked into the complaints and ruled in Sylva’s favour. Not satisfied, Amgbare sought solace at the Appeal Court sitting in Port Harcourt. But it ordered a re-run election in the state. It held, and again, the PDP carried the day. Sylva was crowned the second time in one year as governor. The massive campaigns that characterised the preparations towards the April 2011 governorship elections in the state fizzled out.Later, the ruling by the Federal High Court, Abuja, upheld the prayers of five governors including Sylva, thus ruling that their tenure ought to end 2012 when elections are expected to take place.INEC headed for the Appeal Court, Abuja which also affirmed the ruling, before it later headed for the Supreme Court which is still at work. The ruling of the Federal High Court is now history as it turned back the hand of the clock of the heightened preparations for the governorship elections in Bayelsa State. Hence, the ongoing frenzied wait till 2012.However, at the height of the campaigns, there were a few major political parties with serious governorship candidates. They included the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) with Chief Timipre Sylva; the Labour Party (LP) with Mr. Timi Alaibe; the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) featuring Dr. Imorno Kubor; Social Democratic Mega Party (SDMP); Mr. Ebitimi Amgbare; Change for Advocate Party (CAP) Chief Abel Ebifemowei and All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) which features Chief Eberiye.There were other parties, but the main ones that were so pronounced in the race were the PDP, LP and the ACN.As the 2012 governorship election approaches in the state, serious but underground preparations have been in top gear among the governorship candidates in the various parties. But Sylva has remained their major headache. Reason: His acknowledged performance in the saddle. Sylva once beat his chest that his administration’s developmental projects would speak for his performance at the 2012 elections.And the pro-Sylva group also claimed: “There is no need for another primary in the PDP; the candidature of Governor Sylva is okay for the party because he has performed well.” However, not many were shocked to the marrow when, recently, Sylva was curiously excluded from the PDP’s governorship primary. And insinuations were thick in the air that the political enmity between him and President Goodluck Jonathan has been his costliest undoing. Now, he is still flexing muscles that he remains in the race, even in the same PDP, even if heaven will fall. Whatever happens between now and the next election, if it will hold, will determine whether or not the political whirlwind in the state will simmer down. But a poser remains unanswered by the PDP leadership: What is Sylva’s sin?

How can any normal person have a 'career' in Nigerian politics of all things?
This man is amazing.

What is Sylva's sin? He did not kiss enough filthy arzzzes of course!

Sylva once beat his chest that his administration’s developmental projects would speak for his performance at the 2012 elections.And the pro-Sylva group also claimed: “There is no need for another primary in the PDP; the candidature of Governor Sylva is okay for the party because he has performed well.” However, not many were shocked to the marrow when, recently, [size=20pt]Sylva was curiously excluded[/size] from the PDP’s governorship primary. [size=20pt]And insinuations were thick in the air that the political enmity between him and President Goodluck Jonathan has been his costliest undoing.[/size]

That is like saying Seun of NL is not aware of Dayokanu's or Aigbofa's area politics on NL ke!
Mu he he he he he he
Sylva. . .abeg blame 'SPAMBOT' for your sins e jor o!

abi, maybe just because sylva did wanna dance to their music, now they want him make pay, devils,

some pple no even sabi politics, dem go just dey open mouth close am,

ok, lets see whr this ends, pdp or sylva, but wait wats the court doin abt it,
i heard their still silent , our juduciary,

umm, bayelsa,

Jungle politics, jungle justice.
If was indeed nominated by Nigerians in Bayelsa. . . he should not be fighting this hard.
Unfortunately, he is reaping the fruits of Demoncrazy!
Cowards do not fight alone. . . only the brave do.