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  • We’ll win APC’s primary again, says Sylva

    We’ll win APC’s primary again, says Sylva

    The Timipre Sylva Campaign Organisation of the Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress (APC) has said the invalidation of the September 22 primary of the party was unfortunate.

    In a statement yesterday in Yenagoa, the state capital, by its spokesman Doifie Buokoribo, the campaign team said Sylva would abide by the party’s supremacy.

    In the statement, titled: We Will Win Again, the organisation urged its supporters to remain calm and steadfast.

    It added: “Ultimately, our victory is sure.”

    APC’s National Working Committee (NWC), on Monday, cancelled the controversial primary, following a report submitted by its Electoral Committee, headed by Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole.

    There were fears that Sylva could go to court to stop the new primary.

    But it was gathered that some influential members of the party prevailed on him not to take any action that would be inimical to the party’s interest.

    The organisation said:  “The cancellation of the September 22 primary, where Chief Timipre Sylva was overwhelmingly voted by the APC family in our state to fly the party’s flag in the December 5 governorship election, is unfortunate.

    “But as loyal and faithful party folk, we have the serenity to accept the decision in the larger interest of our great party. We urge our teeming supporters to remain peaceful and unruffled, rest assured that all is well.

    “Ultimately, our victory is sure. Our hope cannot be annulled. Our mission to rescue Bayelsa State from the grip of maladministration and underdevelopment is a task that must be accomplished.

    “We should come out more massively than ever before this Wednesday, September 30, to repeat the overwhelming endorsement you gave Sylva on September 22. Together, we shall give the lie to the report of our detractors.”

     

  • Guber poll: Sylva remains our candidate – Bayelsa APC

    Guber poll: Sylva remains our candidate – Bayelsa APC

    The Chairman, All Progressives Congress (APC), Bayelsa State chapter, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe, declared on Monday that a former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, remains the candidate of the party for the December 5 governorship election.

    Oruminighe said he was not aware that the controversial primaries where Sylva emerged the winner had been cancelled by the national leadership of the party.

    He spoke after an APC support group under the auspices of Rescue Nigeria Mandate Mission (RENIM) claimed that Sylva won the September 22 primaries.

    The President of RENIM, Amb. Sokari Afiesimama, insisted that the election where Sylva reportedly emerged as the winner was free, fair and without violence.

    The election was marred by violence resulting in more than 15 aspirants scampering for safety, while members of election committee headed by Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole, were held hostage in the arena.

    Oshiomhole has since claimed that Sylva’s thugs held him hostage in an attempt to force him to conduct the primaries against the party’s guidelines.

    But Orunimighe and Afiesimama who spoke in different media events insisted that the election had been won and lost, adding that the rumour of its cancellation was baseless and unfounded.

    Oruminighe said: “As a chairman of Bayelsa APC, I am not aware of any cancellation of the primaries. With all due respect to the National Chairman of our party, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, he said nobody should make an announcement except they cleared with him.

    “I want to believe that people who made statements from the national secretariat did not have clearance with him. As a state chairman, I am aware that the rumour of cancellation came even when we were on the election ground.

    “It was all over the social media. I think it was made by one of their publicists. After that Odigie-Oyegun directed that nobody should make any statement without obtaining clearance from him.

    “The national chairman is a man who knows his onions. Having set up an election panel, he knows the next thing is to wait for the outcome or report of the committee set up to administer the primaries. Maybe they will set up an appeal committee. We are expecting that by Monday or Tuesday (today). So, I believe the cancellation rumour does not stand.

    “For now, election has been held and I think that is how it stands. Chief Timipre Sylva won the election conducted last Tuesday.”

  • Sylva may sue APC for Bayelsa primary

    Sylva may sue APC for Bayelsa primary

    A former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva may sue the All Progressives Congress (APC), if the party insists on cancelling last Tuesday’s controversial primary held in Yenagoa, the state capital.

    Following reports of violence, intimidation and harassment, which marred the primary, the party, through its National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, cancelled it.

    APC said a new date would be fixed to conduct another primary.

    But Sylva said he remained the party’s candidate for the December 5 governorship election.

    In a statement by his campaign orgsnisation’s spokesman, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, the former governor described as misleading and untrue reports that APC’s September 22 primary was cancelled or rescheduled.

    The statement said Sylva won the primary, adding that it was conducted in accordance with the party’s rules and guidelines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    The statement said: “We want to state categorically that since the primary was conducted according to the rules and duly won by Sylva, he remains the candidate of the APC in Bayelsa State; any statement to the contrary is a mere rumour.

    “The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, does not have the powers to unilaterally annul a state primary. We are even shocked that he allowed his name to be used when he has not even received the report from members of the electoral panel.”

    But there were reports that the party’s leadership had fixed next Tuesday as a new date for a fresh primary.

    It was gathered that the Chairman of the Electoral Panel and Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole had threatened to step down but was prevailed upon by the party’s leadership to conclude the primary.

    Oshiomhole would be joined by two other governors to conduct the fresh primary.

    Sokoto State Governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal and another governor from the Southwest were reportedly being considered to participate in the primary.

    But it was learnt that Sylva might go to court, if the party conducted a fresh primary.

    The Timipre Sylva Campaign Organisation dismissed the report that another primary would be conducted tomorrow.

    The organisation, in a statement by Buokoribo, said that there was no way a fresh primary could be organised on Tuesday.

    Buokoribo said any attempt to hold a fresh primary would amount to an act of “illegality”.

    He said: “Let us restate here that an APC candidate for the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State has emerged and that candidate is Chief Timipre Sylva. No amount of media manipulation can change that. This is a society of law and order.

    “The latest disinformation through the media goes to show the level of desperation of some people who want the APC governorship ticket through the back door. An election was conducted, Sylva won, the whole world has seen it.

    “Besides, there is no way a hopelessly compromised Oshiomhole, who has also openly displayed his bias, can be asked again to conduct an election in Bayelsa State. Even his masters know that will be unacceptable to Nigerians.

    “Similarly, as at Saturday, September 26, Tambuwal was in far away New York attending the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) while (Ogun State Governor Ibikunle) Amosun is attending Hajj in Saudi Arabia. Are they going to conduct a virtual election?

    “Despite the orchestrated lies and disinformation, the Sylva Campaign will again urge our teeming supporters to be law-abiding, peaceful but resolute. Victory is sure.”

  • ‘How Sylva emerged APC flag bearer’

    ‘How Sylva emerged APC flag bearer’

    The Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primary was h held on Tuesday, September 22, 2015. At the end of the exercise, former Bayelsa State Governor and leader of the party in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, was declared winner. A day after, news filtered in that National Chairman of APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, may have cancelled the primary and rescheduled it for a new date, citing security as the basis for the decision.

    However, a National Ex-Officio member of the party, Mr. Yekini Nabena, who is from Bayelsa State and is a member of APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC), says, “The National Chairman of the Party has no right to cancel the Bayelsa State Governorship Primary. He must consult the National Working Committee (NWC) of the party before such a decision can be taken.”

    Meanwhile, the Timipre Sylva Campaign for the Bayelsa State 2015 gubernatorial election has described as misleading and completely untrue reports purporting that the APC Governorship Primary held on September 22 in Yenagoa has been cancelled or rescheduled.

    A statement signed on behalf of the campaign by Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, said: “We want to state categorically that since the primary election was conducted according to the rules and duly won by Sylva, he remains the candidate of the APC in Bayelsa State and any statement to the contrary is mere rumour.

    “The National Chairman of the APC, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, does not have the powers to unilaterally annul a state primary election. We are even shocked that he allowed his name to be used when he has not even received the report from members of the electoral panel. Beyond the electoral panel’s report, there is also an Appeals Committee, which has the responsibility to examine complaints arising from the primary election. It is only after the Appeals Committee has concluded its job that the National Working Committee (NWC) will meet to consider all reports from the primary, including those of the security agencies”.

    The statement from the Sylva Campaign added:  “You cannot abort a baby that has already been born. The APC governorship primary has been concluded in Bayelsa State, a winner has emerged, and the winner is Sylva. We therefore ask our teeming supporters to remain calm and ignore the rumour that a new primary is being scheduled for early next week.”

    The APC held its rescheduled governorship primary amid tight security to produce its flag bearer for the Bayelsa State governorship election fixed for December 5 by INEC. The exercise was held at the Samson Siasia Stadium in Yenagoa, the state capital. It was conducted and supervised by a seven-member electoral committee headed by the Governor of Edo State, Mr. Adams Oshiomhole.

    A total of 1,508 delegates drawn from the 105 wards in the eight local government areas of the state were expected to participate in the exercise. While the committee had the mandate to conduct a transparent primary, the delegates had a responsibility to elect the governorship candidate from amongst the 19 aspirants that were jostling to fly the party’s flag.

    Upon arrival in Yenagoa on the eve of the primary, Oshiomhole and his panel members held a meeting with the governorship aspirants to brief them on the guidelines to be used for the conduct of the primary. “If anyone is involved in any unwholesome act, we will ensure they are arrested. Cloning of cards is a criminal offence. The sponsor of such act and those caught with the cloned cards would be arrested”, he cautioned.

    He equally advised the governorship aspirants to realise that the primary election was a family affair.

    Oshiomhole said, “The (APC) family is meeting to deliberate on who can be entrusted with the party’s flag to contest the December 5 election. Already, the fact that we can seat together in Bayelsa is a good sign. If we were to have this meeting last year, we have to get bullet proof vest.”

    As early as 8am, the delegates had queued up to undergo accreditation by the committee ahead of the voting for the candidates of their choice. But no sooner had the accreditation started with only about 80 delegates from Brass and Ekeremor local government areas cleared and seated peacefully under their local council canopies than three of the aspirants started complaining and raising objections.

    In their complaints, however, they unanimously alleged that the Oshiomole-led panel had lost control of the process. They claimed that many of the delegates being cleared were in possession of cloned identification papers contrary to the committee’s requirements of an International Passport, National Identification Card and Voters’ Card.

    One of the aspirants said, “The rancorous accreditation process leading to the primaries was fraught with irregularities, violence, intimidation and complete disrespect for aspirants, agents and party officials. This is an enactment of negative issues for a party that stands on the mantra of change. I think something is missing somewhere and we need to get it right.”

    But despite the orchestrated protest of the trio, Sylva remained calm and calculated. He remarked that there was no cause for alarm and that there really was no concrete basis to cancel the exercise, noting that majority of the delegates were hailing him due to his sterling credentials.

    “I am not an agent and if there are people with cloned cards, we will make sure they are arrested. I was part of the arrangements put in place. Among all the aspirants, l am the only one with the credentials; someone who has done a term here”, Sylva said.

    However, on arrival in the middle of the confusion, the electoral committee chairman without delay intervened met with all the aspirants leading to speculations that the primary could be cancelled. News about another postponement of the primary created an interregnum in the process and heightened political brinkmanship and anxiety at the arena.

    About 4:45pm, the coast had become clear as all frayed nerves had been calmed. A consensus was achieved. Oshiomhole, therefore, directed that the accreditation process be kick-started afresh. He personally supervised the arrangement of tables and chairs at the arena for the process to start again and the delegates lined up again to get accredited to vote.

    The delegates, one after another, cast their ballot in an orderly manner for any aspirant of their choice in the presence of the committee members, accredited observers, monitors and journalists as well as the security personnel deployed to maintain law and order. At the end of the counting of the votes polled by each aspirant, Sylva was declared winner by the party’s committee after polling 726 votes of 807 accredited votes. Hon. Warman Ogoriba and Chief Romeo Bekeyei scored 10 votes each to come second with Alaibe trailing with a paltry four votes.

    The runners-up in the governorship primary have congratulated the winner, Chief Timipre Sylva. In a statement issued on Wednesday signed by the aspirants, including Ogoriba, Senator Clever Ikisikpo, Chief Romeo Bekeyai, Chief Godknows Powell, Mrs. Charity Vadelago, and Engr. Ebitei Francis, they said they were proud of the good fight they had fought. The aspirants acknowledged that since a winner had emerged through a transparent process, it behoved them and all APC members to rally round the party’s candidate for victory at the governorship election.

  • Edo governor breached electoral protocol, says Sylva

    Edo governor breached electoral protocol, says Sylva

    Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva has dismissed the claims by Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole, who headed Tuesday’s All Progressives Congress (APC) Electoral Committee’s primary, that he scuttled it.

    In a statement yesterday in Yenagoa, the state capital, by his Media Adviser, Doifie Buokoribo, the former governor said: “It is unfortunate that people like Oshiomhole, …who pretend to be incorruptible, would conduct himself in the manner in which he did in relation to the Bayelsa State governorship primary. It was clear that Oshiomhole never wanted to conduct the primary as scheduled.

    “First, on his request, the primary was shifted from its earlier date of Saturday, September 19, to Tuesday, September 22. The grouse of the delegates was that the primary had been shifted once at Oshiomhole’s request. That shift caused enough hardship already. The ‘comrade’ was again shifting the goal post, without giving consideration to the hapless delegates. It was that frustration that we were managing. It is so sad that the governor did not appreciate our effort.

    “Second, as chairman of the APC Electoral Committee, Oshiomhole knew that accreditation of delegates was to begin at 8am …but he came to the venue of the programme well past noon. After he arrived at that late hour, he proceeded with a meeting with the committee members and another meeting with the aspirants. He clearly had preconceived plans about the Bayelsa APC governorship primary.

    “Third, Oshiomhole cannot really say anything about the primary because he left the venue at the time voting began. Oshiomhole set the process in motion for voting to begin before he excused himself on the grounds that he was going to eat, and he mandated other members of the committee to carry on without him.

    “The world needs to know that the Bayelsa State Electoral Committee is made up of seven members and, of the seven, only Oshiomhole left. The other six remained, conducted the primary and declared Sylva winner.

    “Fourth, it bothers on pettiness for Oshiomhole to quote me as the antagonist to new entrants to our party. Every discussion I had with the governor was public. The only private conversation I had with him was when he walked up to me and asked me if I truly believed he was working against my interest. To that I answered ‘YES’. As a man of integrity, he even offered to step down as chairman. If he had stepped down, would that have invalidated the primary? We should refrain from exaggerating our worth and integrity. Let other good people judge our character.

    “After all, I was the one that received all new entrants. Oshiomhole was invited and he did not come.

    “Fifth, Oshiomhole came to Yenagoa with a clear agenda, which was to get me out of the race at all cost. We are aware that he had been lobbying at the centre to get me out of the race to pave the way for one of the aspirants. Indeed, one of the aspirants had boasted openly that Oshiomhole would cancel the primary once he arrived, shortly before his arrival.

    “Oshiomhole should not tell lies; if I was not there, contrary to his insinuation that I rented thugs to manhandle him, the crowd would have manhandled him. I personally accompanied Oshiomhole to the gate when he was going to eat…”

  • Why I joined Bayelsa governorship race, by Sylva

    Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva has said he joined the December 5 governorship race to rescue the state from its “current” political confusion and economic hopelessness.

    In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) state leader urged his supporters to remain focused to enable the party win the governorship election.

    Sylva was reacting to the postponement of APC’s governorship primary from September 19 to September 22.

    He said: “I appeal to all our supporters, delegates and the APC family in Bayelsa State to stay focused, positive and determined as we wait for …September 22, fixed by the national headquarters of our great party for the primary.

    “My participation in the governorship race is borne out of a firm decision to steer our state away from the current course of political confusion and economic hopelessness, and return it to the path of freedom, progress and hope, the foundation upon which our founding fathers had agitated and won the struggle for a distinct political territory within Nigeria.

    “With that resolve, having been backed by the popular opinion of our people, I assure you that we are on course. I have no doubt that by next Tuesday, I will emerge the candidate of our great party, APC, for the December 5 governorship election.

    “The primary is just a process to our ultimate goal of retrieving our collective political destiny from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) grabbers, who have arrested the development of the state since 2012…”

    Sylva also urged APC members to remain calm.

    He said: “We should de-emphasise the small differences that necessarily accompany a primary election, like this, and focus on the big picture, the collective responsibility of rescuing our state from the stranglehold of a few intolerant despots masquerading as politicians in the PDP. We will win.

    “Bayelsa must be free. Bayelsa must progress. Bayelsa must change with the wind of change blowing across the land.”

     

  • Why I joined Bayelsa governorship race, by Sylva

    Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva has said he joined the December 5 governorship race to rescue the state from its “current” political confusion and economic hopelessness.

    In a statement by his media aide, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, the All Progressives Congress (APC) state leader urged his supporters to remain focused to enable the party win the governorship election.

    Sylva was reacting to the postponement of APC’s governorship primary from September 19 to September 22.

    He said: “I appeal to all our supporters, delegates and the APC family in Bayelsa State to stay focused, positive and determined as we wait for …September 22, fixed by the national headquarters of our great party for the primary.

    “My participation in the governorship race is borne out of a firm decision to steer our state away from the current course of political confusion and economic hopelessness, and return it to the path of freedom, progress and hope, the foundation upon which our founding fathers had agitated and won the struggle for a distinct political territory within Nigeria.

    “With that resolve, having been backed by the popular opinion of our people, I assure you that we are on course. I have no doubt that by next Tuesday, I will emerge the candidate of our great party, APC, for the December 5 governorship election.

    “The primary is just a process to our ultimate goal of retrieving our collective political destiny from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) grabbers, who have arrested the development of the state since 2012…”

  • Sylva, Alaibe, others in race

    Sylva, Alaibe, others in race

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship primaries in Bayelsa State to pick the candidate for the December 5, governorship election will hold in Yenagoa, the state capital, on September 19.

    Those who beat the deadline for the collection and submission of nomination forms include Chief Timpreye Sylva, Chief Timi Alaibe, Nigeria’s former Ambsaador to Japan, Emmanuel Otiotio, the former Chief of Staff to Governor Seriake Dickson, Diekivie Ikiogha  and Pastor Tonye Aprael, who is the only female aspirant in the race.

    Both Otiotio and Ikiogha were aides to former governor Timiprieye Silva, who is also an aspirant.

    Ambassador Otiotio, who was Nigerian Ambassador to Japan between 1999 and 2003, said that the state is in dear need of people of integrity to rescue it from the backwardness.

    He described himself as a born again Christian, who will do the job of governance in the state with fear of God. He dismissed insinuations that a particular aspirant bought forms for other aspirants. He said that he has not been informed that the former governor has joined the race to pick the ticket.

    He said he will introduce good governance and proper management of resources.”

    Chief Diekivie Ikiogha said that he was the most qualified for the job, considering his wealth of experience.

    He said that Bayelsa, being one of the richest states, has nothing to show for the huge allocation it has collected from the Federations Account, adding that he has the magic touch that will transform the state into a model state.

    He said as a retired Director in the civil service, a former adviser and former commissioner, he was not coming into government to learn, but to put into practice what he has learned in the past. He said: “I am not a pretender in the race. I am a contender and I am out to salvage the poverty in the state.

    Ikiogha, who admitted being part of the PDP government he is accusing of failing the state, added: “If you know how government is runned, you will realised that there is only be governor and his followers and appointees only do what he wants them to do.

    “Your own as an appointee is to carry out the orders of the governor. Some of us have disagreed with the government in the past and that is why we stayed long in the government. But we left because we felt that APC is where the positive change can take place in Bayelsa state.

    Speaking on her experience since she joined the race, Mrs Appeal said: “It has not been easy since I joined the race but with God all things are possible with little or no money but as we stepped out God has been making the provision, and it was a shocking news that we should come and get the form for free, which I did and today I have come to submit the form.

    “I want to use this medium to encourage all Bayelsans to give me the ticket and I know that the sky is not even the limit for Bayelsa state that every man will see in the world that every resources that come to the state will be use judiciously.

    “As a woman, meeting the delegates some of them were saying, madam without money you can not do anything but I want say that money is not everything. Let them just give people that are upright, people that has heart for the people to man the state and if they did that, especially giving it to me everybody will be affected positively in Bayelsa state.”

  • Sylva submits form ahead of deadline

    •Accuses Jonathan of ousting him in 2012

    Former Bayelsa State Governor and the state’s All Progressives Congress (APC) leader Timipre Sylva, submitted his nomination and expression of interest form at 4.40pm yesterday at the party’s national secretariat in Abuja to beat the deadline.

    There had been speculations about Sylva’s interest in the governorship race.

    But he was said to be undecided between contesting the party’s primary and getting a national appointment.

    Addressing reporters after submitting his form, Sylva accused former President Goodluck Jonathan of opposing his government from the beginning of his tenure in 2007.

    The APC chieftain noted that despite the opposition from the Presidency then, he delivered some high quality projects to the people of Bayelsa State.

    Such projects, he said, were not inaugurated before he was ousted by “impunity and wickedness in high places”.

    Asked about the driving force behind his ambition, Sylva said: “There is always a driving force behind an ambition. For me, it is very simple. I went into Bayelsa State Government House in 2007 under very difficult circumstances, having a central government that was interested in ousting me from day one.

    “If you noticed, from day one when I entered the Government House in 2007, the Vice President – as he then was – headed my opposition. When the state apparatus was summoned to run you out of office, it was a very uphill task. Despite that, we were undaunted and we carried on.

    “I went into Bayelsa State at the height of the militancy problem. A few years into my administration, I designed a strategy, which I called the Triple E Strategy. That led to the end of militancy in the Niger Delta. I can single-handedly take credit for that; even my opponents will not begrudge me for that.

    “I also did a lot of roads. No other governor in the history of the state can say he has done more roads in Yenagoa than I did. I started the senatorial roads leading to Okporoma and started the road leading to Brass. In the area of power, what we did was seen by all.

    “In 2012, we were preparing to celebrate in 2013 one year of uninterrupted power supply in Yenagoa. I had installed turbans, and there is a turban that was 93 per cent complete when I was ousted. The outgoing (Dickson’s) government refused to commission it because it did not want me to take credit for it.

    “I built a hospital that would have been one of the best in Nigeria. It was to be inaugurated in May 2012. The outgoing government has refused to go near that hospital since I was ousted.”

     

  • Dickson, Sylva mourn as ex-PDP Chair

    Dickson, Sylva mourn as ex-PDP Chair

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and his predecessor Chief Timipre Sylva have expressed sadness at the death of former Chairman of the state Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Col. Sam Inokaba (retd.).

    He was 66.

    Inokaba defected recently to the All Progressives Congress (APC) and bought the party’s nomination form ahead of the governorship election on December 5.

    Inokoba passed on 19 days after dumping the PDP, a party he led for over three years, for the APC.

    It was gathered that the APC chieftain died a month to his 67th birthday at the Military Cantonment Hospital, Ikeja, Lagos State.

    Prior to his demise, Inokoba was said to have paid N6.5 million to obtain the nomination and expression of interest forms ahead of the governorship election on December 5.

    Following some political developments in the state, Inokoba reportedly relocated his family to Lagos State. He was said to have slumped and died yesterday while visiting them.

    Before his death, Inokoba’s health generated some concerns as he was said to have slumped on some occasions at public functions.

    While some claimed the former PDP chairman died of food poisoning, others said he died of cardiac arrest.

    But his son, Waripamo Inokoba said: “My father slumped at 2am on Wednesday and was confirmed dead before he was taken to the hospital. Some of our people are on their way to Lagos to bring back his body.”

    A statement by Waripamo and Elder Clee Inokoba confirmed the incident.

    It said: “We, the Inokoba family of Amakiriebiama and Akengele family of Isounbiri compound, all in Odi Kingdom, Kolokuma-Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, wish to announce the death of our son, uncle, father and grand-father, Col. Sam Inokoba, who passed on in the early hours of Wednesday.”

    Inokoba’s death shocked Bayelsa APC stalwarts and members.

    The state’s APC Leader and former Governor Timipre Sylva, in a statement by his media aide, Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, described the late Inokoba as a great community leader and an intelligent politician.

    The former governor said Inokoba’s contributions to the society would be missed by Bayelsa residents and Nigerians.

    He said his death left a vacuum that would be difficult to fill.

    Sylva said: “The news of the death of Col. Inokoba (retd.) was a terrible shock to me, my family and the APC family in Bayelsa State and other parts of Nigeria. We share the grief of his family and friends.

    “Inokoba was not only close to me, personally, but as a new convert to the current change agenda in Bayelsa State, we shared dreams of a better state, thoughts about the challenges ahead and regrets about the condition of things in our state.

    “He leaves a vacuum that can never be filled. His intellect, political sagacity, insight and passion for the state, the Ijaw and Nigeria, generally, are wonderful qualities that we cherished.

    “Inokoba was a true leader, a successful family man, a great community leader and a retired soldier. Our thoughts are with the bereaved family at this time of grief. Inokoba will be missed by all of us.”

    He added: “We know that the memory of Inokoba will serve as an inspiration to Bayelsans that knew him.”

    Dickson, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, expressed shock and disbelief on the incident.

    The governor described Inokaba’s death as a sad and painful loss, adding that he would be missed by his family and close associates, especially the political class.

    He prayed God to grant the family the fortitude to bear the loss.

    Dickson assured the bereaved family of the government’s preparedness to support and participate in the funeral of the deceased.

    One of the early sympathisers to the house and former member of the State House of Assembly, Indutimi Komonibo, in a condolence register at the home of the deceased, wrote: “Inokoba is a great loss to us. (It’s) Hard to believe. But no one can question God.”

    Also, a former Guardian employee and ex-Special Adviser on Media to the Goodluck Jonathan administration in the state, Dickson Ageda, described the death of the former PDP chairman as “shocking and a painful exit”.