A Chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bayelsa State, Mr. Tombra Williams has taken a swipe at Chief Timipre Sylva, former Minister of State on Petroleum Resources in the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari, over his media outburst on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
Sylva had chastised President Tinubu for performing so poorly in his management of the nation’s economy, stressing that the present economic crises being faced by Nigerians can be attributed to the “poorly constituted cabinet that is riddled with scandals”.
Sylva in a statement by his spokesperson, Dr John Idumange, specifically said Tinubu’s economic policies are slowly tearing the country apart with high inflation rate and an unprecedented level of poverty, stressing; “Nigerians are now in frying pan and our only prayer is that we should not be dumbed in the inferno.”
In the words of Sylva; “Tinubu’s economic policies are anti-people and cannot engineer the needed growth and development as well as ease hunger and poverty.
However, while reacting to the statement, the PDP chieftain, described Sylva comments on Tinubu as shocking, and emphasised that his outburst could have stemmed from his level of frustration as a result of his recent defeat in the Bayelsa governorship election.
Williams noted that Sylva’s latest media war aimed at rubbishing Tinubu was based on the refusal of the President to use federal might to actualise his (Sylva) governorship ambition.
William particularly said that such tirade was aimed at discrediting the Tinubu administration, adding that the current challenges bedevilling the country were creation of the Buhari-led administration in which Sylva was a major player.
In the words of William; “The former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Sylva failed to make the nation’s refinery to work which the present government is doing, among other anomalies in his four years stint.
“The passage of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA), which Sylva flaunts as one of his achievements did not meet the expectations of the people of the Niger Delta, particularly the percentage allocated to host communities.
“Sylva does not have the moral justification to criticize the Tinubu’s administration as it inherited an almost comatose economy. It is worrisome to see statements credited to the spokesperson of Chief Timipre Sylva accusing the Tinubu administration of being responsible for our current economic woes. It is not only worrisome but also irresponsible on their part.
“It is surprising that Sylva has forgotten he was part of the Muhammadu Buhari administration that set us back by over 20 years. As Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, he failed to live up to expectations which contributed to his abysmal outing in the last governorship election.
“Let Sylva be remorseful because his four years in office did not attract the expected benefits to people of the Niger Delta. If anyone should criticise Tinubu, it is certainly not Sylva,” he said.
