By Valentine Amanze
The former Governor of Bayelsa State and Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, has denied sponsoring the protests in front of the house of the Rivers State former Governor, Peter Odili, in Port Harcourt after the Supreme Court judgement, which sacked David Lyon as the Bayelsa State governor.
Sylva was responding to the allegation by the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, that he (Sylva) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole, were responsible for the protests in front of Odili’s house in Port Harcourt.
The minister in a statement on Thursday,, February 20, 2020, pointed out that there was no truth in the claim, which he termed as “stange.”
“Governor Wike should know in what high esteem I hold Peter and Justice (Mrs) Odili, whom I have known and worked with long before Governor Wike came into the picture.
“It will not occur to me to malign the person and image of people I hold up as role models,” Syla said.
Besides, he alleged that Wike or those working with him might have organized the protest with the intention of hanging it on them (Syla and Oshiomhole) with the intent to incense the Supreme Court towards the APC, knowing that the party intends to approach the Supreme Court again.
His words: “What Governor Wike is doing is akin to deciding a matter bordering on criminality by way of Originating Summons where the issues have not been investigated and the accused given an opportunity to defend himself.
“Why will a governor hasten to conclusions? If this is not adding salt to injury, what is?
I have been so numbed by the events of February 13th that I could not even contemplate any other course of action than to approach the Supreme Court again. I am a man of peace and would not support any action that can cause a breach of the peace.
“I have had several encounters with the Supreme Court of Nigeria since 2012. I have never, at any time, attempted to protest their judgment. You know how difficult it is for an old dog to learn new tricks. Why will I now?”
The former governor, however, wondered why Wike was unable to protect the Odilis as the chief security officer of the River State.