Sylva Vs Diri: Dark Cloud Gathers in Bayelsa
2 min read
Who will be the next governor of Bayelsa State in February next year, after the people must have gone to the poll on November 11? Will Chief Timipre Sylva of the APC be able to subdue Senator Douye Diri of the PDP?
This is the major issue in political circles in Bayelsa State at the moment. Citizens are getting more interested in the debate and are gearing up for the November election, as a thick cloud of uncertainty gathers in the state.
Supporters of the two major candidates are already divided and are doing their best to show support and solidarity for their candidates. On the social media, paid and voluntary supporters are making efforts to undo their opponents.
While some are civil in their comments, others are resorting to abuses and outright misrepresentation of facts. A certain academic doctor who has served in the past as political appointee in the state is among those spreading what many have described as falsehood against Diri, in his bid to promote Sylva, even though he had, before now, pilloried the former governor whom he saw at that time as a non-performer.
Last week, in one of the Whatsapp platforms, a citizen who felt so aggrieved with Sylva’s intention to return to the seat of power as governor was so blunt that he directly attacked the former minister of state for petroleum, describing him in disrespectful terms.
The crux of the matter was the controversial Atala Oil Field. The poster asked Sylva questions concerning the Oil Field and why the state lost out, when Sylva was the minister.
Sylva who is a member of the Whatsapp platform made efforts to give explanations, but the netizen would not take Sylva’s explanations. He chose to rain abuses on him. He also queried Sylva’s decision to eat his words, after he had promised not to contest the 2023 gubernatorial election, saying he was a man that could not keep promises.
The netizen had also drawn Sylva’s attention to what he called the many achievements of Diri, including the construction of roads to link the three senatorial districts to the state capital, saying the present governor was the best thing to happen to Bayelsa State and that Sylva should forget the idea.
His insults on Sylva led the platform’s administrator to issue a stern warning to the netizen, while also apologising to Sylva for the insults.
Some natives of Southern Ijaw Local Government, where David Lyon comes from, had at other times, attacked Sylva for not supporting the 2019 governor-elect of the state to run the 2023 election.
