Indications emerged on Saturday that the Bayelsa State governorship
candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timipre Sylva, is broke
and may have resorted to selling his properties to raise funds ahead of
the December 5 election.
and may have resorted to selling his properties to raise funds ahead of
the December 5 election.
governorship primary where Sylva emerged candidate confirmed that it was a
desperate move to keep his campaign going and probably make some
impressions during the race.
According to him, since then, most of the funding of the campaign had been
undertaken by Sylva as other key players who could have assisted were said
to have distanced themselves from him because of alleged betrayal.
undertaken by Sylva as other key players who could have assisted were said
to have distanced themselves from him because of alleged betrayal.
“Timipre Sylva is broke, now flat, but there is hope very soon”, the
source who craved anonymity declared.
source who craved anonymity declared.
Sylva was said to have initially told most governorship aspirants that he
was not running and actually collected huge sums of money from at least
six persons with the understanding that he will make them the APC
candidate only to turn around as aspirant and eventually maneuvered the
electoral process to clinch the ticket.
was not running and actually collected huge sums of money from at least
six persons with the understanding that he will make them the APC
candidate only to turn around as aspirant and eventually maneuvered the
electoral process to clinch the ticket.
This, it was further gathered, had sowed the seed of discord between Sylva
and the other former aspirants who are believed to be engaging in a ‘sidon
look” attitude towards the election.
and the other former aspirants who are believed to be engaging in a ‘sidon
look” attitude towards the election.
“Running a governorship election is money consuming and in the current
circumstance of the APC in Bayelsa State, Sylva would have to take every
step that could fetch needed funds including selling his properties”, the
source emphasised.
circumstance of the APC in Bayelsa State, Sylva would have to take every
step that could fetch needed funds including selling his properties”, the
source emphasised.
Another source who also pleaded anonymity revealed that the liquidity
crunch in the campaign was further compounded because of the feeling among
some influential persons whom Sylva had earlier contacted but who were
said to be less enthusiastic about the governorship project on the
understanding that Sylva may likely lose the election and afraid about how
they could recoup their money.
crunch in the campaign was further compounded because of the feeling among
some influential persons whom Sylva had earlier contacted but who were
said to be less enthusiastic about the governorship project on the
understanding that Sylva may likely lose the election and afraid about how
they could recoup their money.
One of such financiers who lives in Lagos was said to have been promised
the ministerial slot for Bayelsa State but was curiously replaced by
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.
the ministerial slot for Bayelsa State but was curiously replaced by
Senator Heineken Lokpobiri.
The source said Sylva’s burning desire to become the candidate was
informed by the notion that once he picked the ticket, he will get massive
financial support from the APC-led Federal Government but now a day dream
as President Muhammadu Buhari was not ready to dip hands into the treasury
to fund the campaign.
informed by the notion that once he picked the ticket, he will get massive
financial support from the APC-led Federal Government but now a day dream
as President Muhammadu Buhari was not ready to dip hands into the treasury
to fund the campaign.
A reliable source at the Aso Villa in Abuja who corroborated this
development said all efforts to get the president to direct release of
funds to back Sylva’s campaign have failed as the president might have
felt a moral burden over corruption charges against Sylva before the EFCC.
development said all efforts to get the president to direct release of
funds to back Sylva’s campaign have failed as the president might have
felt a moral burden over corruption charges against Sylva before the EFCC.
Sylva’s key supporters in the Presidency who actually played strategic
roles in his emergence as APC candidate were also said to have advised him
to seek alternative sources of funding.
roles in his emergence as APC candidate were also said to have advised him
to seek alternative sources of funding.
Meanwhile, a group, Bayelsa Integrity Forum (BIF) has raised alarm over
choice properties said to be on offer for sale by the former governor.
choice properties said to be on offer for sale by the former governor.
In a statement issued In Yenagoa, the state capital on Saturday, the group
warned members of the public to be wary of patronizing Sylva’s agents as
the properties being put on sale in Abuja and Lagos were under the watch
of the EFCC and as such prospective buyers risk losing money in such
transaction.
warned members of the public to be wary of patronizing Sylva’s agents as
the properties being put on sale in Abuja and Lagos were under the watch
of the EFCC and as such prospective buyers risk losing money in such
transaction.
The statement signed by the group’s spokesman, Albert Ebikeme, further
warned that those who buy such properties could also be liable to
prosecution and a whole scam with liabilities.
warned that those who buy such properties could also be liable to
prosecution and a whole scam with liabilities.
He said, “Everybody is aware that Timipre Sylva is broke and now selling
his choice properties in Abuja and those in Lekki and Ikoyi in Lagos. But
based on the antecedents of Sylva, our people have to be cautious. Recall
this same man deceived a number of his party men promising them
governorship tickets and in the process collected huge sums of money from
them only to turn around and ran for the same slot himself.
his choice properties in Abuja and those in Lekki and Ikoyi in Lagos. But
based on the antecedents of Sylva, our people have to be cautious. Recall
this same man deceived a number of his party men promising them
governorship tickets and in the process collected huge sums of money from
them only to turn around and ran for the same slot himself.
“So the question of integrity is there, moreso when these properties are
under investigation by the EFCC. Definitely it’s a risky business and our
people must be careful in patronizing Sylva in the sale of these
properties.”
under investigation by the EFCC. Definitely it’s a risky business and our
people must be careful in patronizing Sylva in the sale of these
properties.”
POINTBLANK NEWS
No comments:
Post a Comment