Shehu Sani advices Timipre Sylva to join him and leave APC as he has no future in the party

KADUNA Central Senatorial District lawmaker Senator Shehu Sani who recently resigned his membership of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) has advised former Bayelsa State governor Chief Timipre Sylva to do likewise as he has no future in party.

On October 20, Senator Sani tendered his resignation from the APC after discovering that his name was not submitted to the Independent National Electoral Commission (Inec) as the party's candidate in next year's elections. Despite being adopted as the APC candidate, Senator Sani's name was removed from the list sent to Inec at the last minute at the insistence of Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai.

Incensed at the actions of the APC, Senator Sani declared for the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) and in a tweet has urged Chief Sylva to leave the APC too. Chief Sylva decamped from the Peoples Democratic Party and joined the APC after former president Dr Goodluck Jonathan opposed him being returned as Bayeslsa State governor in 2012.

Over recent weeks, there have been rumours that Chief Sylva plans to leave the APC, although a statement issued by his media assistant Julius Bokoru has denied this speculation. Chief Sylva himself has described the report as inconsequential.

However, Senator Sani tweeted: “Bro Timi, make you just take style escape from that place, make suffer no come finish you there. Anyway they don hear your threat but nothing go happen, just take the next canoe and go home.”

Mr Bokoru's statement read: “Ordinarily, Chief Sylva would have stepped over this most mundane rumour cooked by the basest of minds but for his teeming supporters, members of the All Progressives Congress and the good people of Bayelsa State who this rumour is aimed at. Let it be established that Chief Timipre Sylva is a firm member the APC and nurses no plan to leave the party to any other party, least of all the PDP which is floundering and churning in the throes of its last days.

“Chief Sylva cannot leave the APC, a party he has joined in building at both state and national levels to the very top of political and governmental efficiency. The purported defection of Sylva which they announced through their Facebook hirelings in August had to be recycled in October, just like the ridiculously untrue story of the 48 houses they keep recycling every year.

“The fact is not lost to Chief Sylva that this latest defection story coincides with the so-called defection of a certain Nathan Egba who was neither a member of the APC nor a man with any bit of political relevance. Chief Sylva urges his supporters, members of the APC and the good people of Bayelsa State to remain steadfast as this current darkness will soon give way for light.”