The Bayelsa State Governor, Douye Diri has responded to the remarks by the APC governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, during the inauguration of the party’s campaign council on Friday in Yenagoa.
According to a press release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to the Bayelsa State Governor, Daniel Alabrah, said that in Bayelsa, Sylva is infamously remembered for profligacy, mismanagement of the state resources, encouraging cultism, and creating a special security outfit that was anti-people.
The statement read, “It is a sad reality that when people set bad examples when they are given responsibility, they resort to giving good advice. It is simply laughable that Sylva would accuse somebody else of a lack of vision. This is a man who had the opportunity of being governor of our state for five years and later became a Minister for almost four years. Yet there is no outstanding, positive legacy to his name. Having governed the state, it is easier to compare and contrast. And Gov. Diri stands far above him in governance.
“It is equally as preposterous for Sylva to talk about gas utilization for power. As Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, how well did he or the administration under which he served utilize gas to provide power for Nigerians? The country is still largely in darkness with the national grid collapsing frequently. So, this is mere political talk that cannot sway anybody conversant with the power sector in the country.
“It is also not true that the previous government sold the state’s gas turbine. Instead, Sylva allowed the turbine to collapse during administration and then brought the state under the national grid. If the turbine was functional during his administration, would there have been a need for the state to be connected to the national grid at that time?
“Now the governor he accuses of incompetence and lack of vision has not only commenced rehabilitation of the gas turbine but he is also increasing its capacity from 70mw to 120mw in addition to the building of a smart pre-paid metering plant.
“If the APC candidate says Yenagoa does not look like a state capital, the question he should answer is what was his input as governor for five years to change the face of the capital city? Is it not funny that he blames a man who has just spent three-and-a-half years as governor when he had no outstanding legacy to show in Yenagoa for a longer period?
“Development is a process and Governor Diri understands this. That is why he has continued with projects inherited from previous administrations in the state, including completing the Nembe Unity Bridge in Sylva’s hometown that he abandoned.
“So far, Bayelsans know and feel the impact of the Diri administration and they will not be swayed by Sylva’s political talk, the statement concluded.
