The Coalition for Leadership, Accountability and good governance in Bayelsa has lampooned the former Governor of Bayelsa state and current Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva for landing at the Bayelsa International Airport he allegedly claimed never existed during the build up to the Bayelsa Gubernatorial elections in 2019.

The group, while reacting to pictures of Chief Timipre Sylvia posted online by his aide while landing at the Bayelsa State International Airport to attend the 1st African Local Content Roundtable Conference happening at the NCDMB Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa, said it is hypocritical of the Petroleum minister to use the airport he claimed was a white elephant project by senator Seriake Dickson who was then Governor of the state.

In a statement signed by the group’s conveners, it said although it found no wrong in Chief Sylva using the airport, however, that the minister’s action is rather hypocritical.

“Our attention has been drawn to images posted on the internet by an aide to current minister of petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva who landed at the Bayelsa International Airport to attend the 1st African Local Content Roundtable Conference holding at the NCDMB Nigerian Content Tower, Yenagoa.

“While there is absolutely no problem with Chief Timipre Sylva using the Bayelsa International Airport, it is however hypocritical of the former governor of our dear state to use the airport he claimed never existed.

“We have always warned our leaders to never play politics with issues of governance. It is morally repugnant for the minister to land his private jet at the airport he and his other party chieftains in the last governorship election mischievously condemned and claimed was a white elephant project.

“Some persons were envious of the past administration for conceiving and executing the Bayelsa International airport. As the minister of Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva is using the Bayelsa Airport but we Bayelsans and Ijaws have not forgotten how he did everything to scuttle the effort of Senator Seriake Dickson who wanted our people to have their own airport. Bayelsa International Airport is the first Airport in Ijaw land”, part of the statement read.