All Progressive Congress, APC Governorship Candidate in Bayelsa State, Mr.
Timipre Sylva allegedly collected N4.5Billion Sand filling Contract meant
for his community from the Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC, and
used same to fund his Governorship elections, a source at the party told
Pointblanknews.com.
The source hinted that Sylva, who has requested for more funds for
Saturday’s election has been abandoned by the APC who are currently
plotting winning strategy for Dakuku Peterside in anticipation of a
Supreme Court ruling for a rerun in Rivers State.
In the wake of the Governorship campaign towards the end of 2015, sources
informed Pointblanknews.com that Sylva had complained of paucity of funds
to prosecute his Governorship elections. He had approached the leadership
of the APC who immediately swung into action in search of money for the
Bayelsa Politician.
Sources hinted that the search for funds took the leadership of the APC to
the NDDC where the top management led by former Managing Director, Mr. Dan
Abia were tasked to hurriedly package a contract for Sylva.
Afraid of losing their jobs, the Management of NDDC immediately awarded
N4.5Billion Sand Filling Contract to Sylva without tenders and hurriedly
sources for cash and paid.
Sylva who had contemplated selling some of his properties, according to
sources, became buoyant with cash and began massive campaigns.
Sources alleged that part of the cash was what he had used in bribing
voters and paying some militants who disrupted the elections in Southern
Ijaw area of Bayelsa.
With the outcome of the Bayelsa election declared inconclusive by the
Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in December 2015, Sylva,
sources said, became broke, needing more cash.
Sources hinted Pointblanknews.com that at the time INEC had declared the
Bayelsa elections inconclusive, the leadership of the APC had already
shifted its focus to Dakuku Peterside, the APC Candidate in Rivers State.
According to sources, the APC leadership, anticipating that the Supreme
Court will rule that a rerun be conducted in Rivers State and funds to be
needed to prosecute the Governorship elections went back to the drawing
board to hatch a strategy.
It was gathered that because of the shift in focus to Peterside’s possible
rerun, Sylva made several overtures to President Mohammadu Buhari for
funds but was clearly informed the N4.5billion he got was enough to see
him through the elections.