The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Sylva

  • Sylva: Court rules tomorrow

    Sylva: Court rules tomorrow

    Justice Adamu Bello of the Federal High Court, Abuja has scheduled ruling for tomorrow in an application by former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva.

    Sylva is, by the application, seeking the court’s permission to accompany his wife on a foreign trip.

    Justice Bello chose the date yesterday after entertaining arguments from parties in the ongoing trial of Sylva, charged with alleged money laundering related offences.

    The prosecuting agency, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), urged the court to refuse Sylva’s request because he could escape trial by refusing to return to the country.

    Its lawyer, John Ainetor, while arguing EFCC’s counter affidavit, said since Sylva was arraigned and granted bail in June last year, the commission has discovered fresh evidence that the ex-governor allegedly engaged in fraudulent acquisition of property through other private persons.

    He said the EFCC was ready to prefer charges against Sylva’s wife.

    Anietor further said that in view of the new discovery, it got a court order last December, freezing the new assets.

    EFCC said investigation was still ongoing, and it could be jeopardised should Sylva be allowed to travel.

    He said Sylva has, on several occasions, refused to honour its invitations, a development that prompted his last arrest by EFCC’s operatives.

    Sylva’s lawyer, Isaac Olorundare (SAN), told the court that the ex-governor’s wife was scheduled for surgery in a United Kingdom (UK) hospital on May 31 and needed his company.

    He therefore urged the court to release his international passport to enable him embark on the trip.

    Olorundare told the court that his client has promised to return for trial and to also return the passport to the custody of the court.

    The grounds for Sylva’s application include that it was part of the conditions attached to the bail granted him last June, to always seek the court’s leave before embarking on a foreign trip.

     

  • Sylva seeks court’s permission to accompany wife on foreign trip

    Former Bayelsa State governor, Timipre Sylva, has applied to a Federal High Court in Abuja for a permission to accompany his wife on a foreign trip.

    The ex-governor is standing trial before the court for alleged money-laundering- related-offences.

    Sylva, in his application filed on May 16, said his wife was scheduled for a surgery in a United Kingdom (UK) hospital and needed his presence.

    He urged the court to release his international passport to enable him embark on the trip. He promised to return for trial and return the passport to the custody of the court.

    Sylva said the grounds for his application was that it was part of the conditions attached to the bail granted him last June to always seek the court’s leave before embarking on a foreign trip.

    He said his wife needed someone to accompany her on the trip and he was the available choice, being the husband.

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the prosecuting agency, has objected to the application. It has filed a counter- affidavit to that effect.

    Justice Adamu Bello, in a bench ruling, held in favour of the EFCC’s lawyer and adjourned till May 28.

  • Home alone Sylva

    Home alone Sylva

    Watching Ex Bayelsa Governor Timipreye Sylva standing alone in the dock, it was difficult not wonder if this was not the same powerful man of Creek Haven.

    There at the court, there was no crowd of party supporters and loyalists;no retinue of commissioners and special assistants to confer with. No chiefs and religious leaders to offer prayers and blessings.

    According to a former aide of the embattled governor, all his supporters have crossed over to President Jonathan’s camp.

    No women who sang his praises,no ex militants to hail him to high heavens. Alone, like an orphan, he stood. In this there is a lesson for all of us, even for President Jonathan.

  • Sylva released from EFCC custody

    Sylva released from EFCC custody

    Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva was last night released from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)’s custody.

    Sylva was arrested from his Abuja house on Wednesday as part of an investigation into an alleged money laundering.

    A source said last night that the ex-governor was allowed to go home by operatives of the anti-graft agency on self-recognition.

    During his arrest on Wednesday, documents were taken away from his house by the EFCC operatives.

    He had been accused of evading arrest, allegedly claiming to be ill.

    The EFCC also claimed that he failed to appear in court on May 7 as promised by his lawyer

  • Chasing the ‘ghost’ of Sylva?

    Chasing the ‘ghost’ of Sylva?

    SIR: The preoccupation of Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State with fighting his predecessor Chief Timipre Sylva, even when the latter is a harmless private citizen, reminds me of the story of the corrupt king and his poor but reputable subject.

    Each morning every inhabitant of the village would head for the ruler’s palace to collect money and heap shallow flattering compliments on the man. The poor subject, despite his deprivation, would stay behind, content with his untainted integrity and meagre means that met his basic needs.

    Although the wealthy king could boast of the “loyalty” of several members of the citizens on account of the largesse he doled out, still he complained that his happiness and security were not assured because the poor man did not make up the number of the sycophants. It unsettled the fawning subjects to learn that the king was not satisfied with their homage without the poor man’s. Nothing, he declared, would give him joy and rest until he dealt with the man who had refused to bow like others. But why would a king be afraid of a poor subject?

    I discern a parallel morbidity in what is going on in the post-Sylva era in Bayelsa. It’s quite a while since the departure of Sylva from the Government House, Yenagoa. Sylva was qualified constitutionally to run for a second term as governor. But with the connivance of the forces in Abuja, he was excluded from the poll and Dickson was foisted on the people.

    Practically then, Sylva is supposed to have become a forgotten or spent force in Bayelsa politics. But surprisingly that is not the case! He is still very much present, his name a thorn in the flesh of Dickson and officialdom. And so you have the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives storming houses purportedly owned by Sylva in Abuja and claiming they have seized them as assets alleged to have been acquired through corrupt means.

    Forty-eight such mansions are said to have been retrieved, with a touch of drama as the media and their klieg lights are alerted to cover the raid on the houses.

    The Sylva phobia has lately shifted to Bayelsa with Governor Dickson claiming that his government inherited from Sylva a state treasury with N4,451! Now this is not only laughable but also calls into question the quality of governance and seriousness of the administration.

    Sylva may appear a helpless private man for now. But there is much strength in a man who has a formidable past of achievements, which a year after his exit, are still making his successors uncomfortable in their borrowed garments. Ordinarily, Dickson, the governor, ought to be satisfied with his incumbency and governing the people of Bayelsa without bothering about poor Citizen Sylva. But as with the story at the beginning of this piece, even a king must stand in fear of a man who does not depend on ephemeral power for survival!

     

    •Tom Oruh

    Lagos.

  • You are confused, Sylva tells Dickson

    Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva has described his successor, Seriake Dickson, as a confused man, who does not know how to tackle the responsibilities of his office.

    This, according to Sylva, explains why the governor has been blowing hot and cold with spurious accusations against him.

    A statement by Sylva’s media aide, Doifie Ola, yesterday expressed concern that the Dickson administration has chosen to peddle half truths and “lamentable lies”.

    The statement reads: “In a seeming retraction of its earlier claim that former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva left only N4,451 in the state purse, Dickson admitted that he took over government from the former Speaker of the House of Assembly, Nestor Binabo.

    “Yet, the Dickson administration insisted that Sylva left a debt of N110 billion, comprising N50 billion bond and a N60 billion bank debt.

    “The Dickson system suffers from a credibility deficit. But even a government of doubtful legitimacy can be consistent. Dickson and his lieutenants are confused.

    “They have no idea how to run a government. They think that running Bayelsa State is about cheap propaganda.”

    The aide clarified that the Sylva administration took a N50 billion bond in 2010 following approval by the House of Assembly and the Nigerian Stock Exchange.

    According to him, the idea of the bond was to fast-track infrastructural development in power, healthcare, education, roads and water.

    Ola said funds from the bond were not paid to the government but were paid directly to the contractors.

    “At the time Sylva left office, specific projects linked to the bond were about 90 per cent completed.

    “Since the bond was on a determined interest rate, it is absurd for the Dickson administration to suggest that Sylva left a N50 billion bond debt as if it has not been serviced since 2010. This is simple arithmetic.

    “More importantly, the Sylva administration inherited debts from the previous government, and some of these debts were absorbed into the bond. Thus, Sylva could not have been responsible for a N60 billion bank debt as Dickson sought to suggest.

    “It is irresponsible of the Dickson administration to blame Sylva continually for its incompetence.

    “Now that he is governor, even if through an ungodly process, the Bayelsa people expect Dickson to lead in developing the state, not to make excuses,” the statement added.

     

  • Search your conscience, Sylva tells Dickson

    Former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva has told his successor, Seriake Dickson, to search his conscience on the claim that he (Silva) left only N4, 451 in the state’s coffers.

    In a statement by his media aide, Doifie Ola, yesterday, the former governor described Dickson’s claims as “the outburst of an illegitimate governor troubled by an attack of conscience.”

    Ola said it was interesting that a year after Sylva left office, Dickson is still obsessed with his ghost.

    The statement reads: “Sylva never contested election with Dickson.

    “He was illegally excluded from seeking re-election by the forces that dragged Dickson into office and foisted on Bayelsa the ignominy that Dickson and his gang have been trying to whitewash with Sylva’s name.

    “But they have continued to fail. Bayelsans and Nigerians have become wise to the gang’s deception.

    “Bayelsa State has never had it so bad. Bayelsa is mourning the Dickson disaster.

    “Everyday, all you hear is that some phoney amounts have been saved, but nothing is happening in terms of delivery of projects.

    “Rather than concentrate on what leadership ought to be, Dickson and his gang are busy chasing Sylva’s shadows. This clearly shows how confused he is.”

    The aide said contrary to insinuations by the governor, Sylva ran the most prudent and transparent government Bayelsa ever had since the Fourth Republic.

    “Despitethe enormous challenges Sylva faced when he took over from Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, the state’s debt profile was not anywhere near what Dickson and his gang want the world to believe throughout Sylva’s stay in office.

    “By our records, we would have concluded payment of all our outstanding debts, except the bond, by last February.

    “It was a project-specific loan; all money was paid directly to the contractors.

    “No money came to the Sylva government. And the projects for which the loans were taken were almost completed at the time he left office.

    “The Sylva government had no chance of mismanaging the bond.

    “The question of rising interest rates on the bond does not arise so long it is being serviced according to terms.

    “All we can advise Dickson and his gang is that they should stop these face-saving pranks with Sylva’s name, for it will never confer legitimacy on them.”

     

  • Sylva’s ex-Chief of Staff arrested

    The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) yesterday arrested Sam Ogbuku, the former Chief of Staff to ex-Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva.

    According to a source in EFCC, Ogbuku was picked up at his residence in Lekki Phase 1, Lagos, by operatives of the commission.

    The source said: “The arrest is in connection with the ongoing investigation into the tenure of Sylva as governor of Bayelsa State.

    “We need to interact with Ogbuku because several payments to Bureau de Change operators from the Bayelsa State treasury were traced to the suspect.

    “So far, he has made useful statement but we are still interrogating him.”

    “There is likelihood that we might detain him.”

    Sylva is facing a six-count charge of stealing and money laundering to the tune of N2billion before a Federal High Court in Abuja.

    He was alleged to have connived with some state officials to defraud the state of N2 billion while he was governor.

    Since he was arraigned on June 5, further investigation by the anti-graft agency established more evidence of graft against Sylva and his cronies.

    Among the assets traced to the former governor in the Federal Capital Territory is a duplex at Cachez Estate, valued at N310million.

    Another is a N700million mansion in Wuse Abuja, allegedly acquired in the name of Marlin Maritime Limited, a company, owned by Sylva.