Chief Edwin Clark, a former federal commissioner and Ijaw leader, informed Timipre Sylva, the APC’s candidate for governor of Bayelsa State, that the state’s populace opposed his candidacy due to concerns about security and the potential for innocent citizens and political opponents to be victimized.
In an open letter to Sylva, to whom he addressed himself as his dear son, Clark, who is also the national leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), cautioned the former minister of state for Petroleum Resources to permit free and fair elections in the state and in his hometown of Nembe, “which is already becoming a war zone.”
The Bayelsa State governorship election is scheduled for Saturday, November 11, 2023, according to LEADERSHIP.
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Chief Clark described in the letter our correspondent received on Tuesday how he had previously warned Sylva against using violence to gain political power in the state.
The veteran statesman charged Sylva of working against the interests of the Niger Delta as petroleum minister by imposing a “oppressive 3%” equity stake for oil and gas producing communities in the PIB despite opposition from stakeholders. Sylva had thrown his support behind Senator Douye Diri, the incumbent Governor and PDP candidate.
Clark also charged Sylva with failing to implement the 3% equity stake, despite allowing 30% for frontier exploration activities, mostly in the North.