Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and ex-Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, has dismissed recent reports alleging that he fled the country amid purported investigations or political developments.
In a clarification issued by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Julius Bokoru, Sylva described the claims as “false and mischievous,” linking them to political rivals intent on tarnishing his reputation ahead of future elections.
According to Bokoru, the residence of the former governor in Abuja was recently raided by individuals believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters, during which significant damage was done to the property. However, neither the reason nor the authorization for the operation has been officially communicated.
“At the time of the incident, Chief Timipre Sylva and his wife, Her Excellency, Alanyingi Sylva, were both outside the country,” Bokoru said. “His Excellency was in the United Kingdom for a routine medical check-up and was scheduled to proceed to Malaysia for a professional conference.”
Bokoru further noted that while the Defence Headquarters has already debunked widespread rumours of an alleged coup plot in Nigeria, Chief Sylva “has no involvement whatsoever—either in planning or in logistics, with any such matter.”
He emphasized that the former governor remains a committed democrat with a long record of service through lawful and transparent political processes.
“Chief Sylva’s political journey has always been defined by faith in democratic institutions, from his election into the old Rivers State House of Assembly in the 1990s to his tenure as Governor of Bayelsa State,” the statement read.
Bokoru added that Sylva’s loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is unquestionable, recalling how the Bayelsa chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), under Sylva’s leadership, unanimously endorsed the President during the party’s expanded stakeholders’ meeting earlier this year.
He described the circulating rumours as the work of “desperate and self-serving politicians” already positioning themselves for the 2027 elections.
“These individuals see Chief Sylva as their last major obstacle—a leader whose credibility and influence continue to expose their ambitions,” Bokoru asserted.
