by Nitoni Osain, Yenagoa
A South South based Non Governmental Organization “Niger Delta Media Activists Group and Excellent Leadership Foundation” wants President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to implement Nigeria’s former Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva vision for the nation to leverage on the abundant gas resources to attain economic development, industrialization and achieve renewable energy goals.
The organisation position was contained in a felicitation statement released by its National Coordinator, Chief Izzi Yakiah on Sunday in Abuja to mark the 61st birthday anniversary of Chief Timipre Sylva on Monday the 7th of July, 2025.
Chief Izzi statement affirmed that Sylva is the first politician in Nigeria that advocated for a gas based economy, adding that the former legislator is an accomplished politician whose intellect and innovative drive has enhanced the socio-economic standards in the stability of the Niger Delta region and the Nigeria State.
Appreciating Chief Timipre Sylva for his dexterity on the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA) and his sustained commitment to President Bola Tinubu “Renewed Hope Agenda”, the NGO likened Chief Sylva political philosophy of loyalty and focus to a democrat that believes in the new Nigeria project, adding that Sylva’s role in the formation stage of the All Progressives Congress is historic.
Wishing Chief Timipre Sylva, his beloved wife Alanyingi and their children years of sound health and prosperity, the release recalled that the celebrant model of empowerment, capacity building of young people and his administrative prowess during the era of militancy in the Niger Delta, leading to consistent attack on critical national assets that laid the foundation for effective surveillance of oil and gas facilities in the creeks of the Niger Delta region, leading to the rise in daily oil production.
Commending Chief Timipre Sylva for his visionary leadership that has brought growth, stability and a sound administrative structure to the All Progressives Congress in Bayelsa State, Chief Izzi Yakiah said, Sylva is a face of opposition politics in the Ijaw homogenous State that uses his influence to facilitate strategic appointments for Ijaw people in the struggle when he served as Governor from 2007-2012 and Minister of Petroleum under President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Congratulating the erstwhile Chairman, Governing Council of the Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko Delta State for attaining the status of a sexagenarian in good health, the release praises Sylva spirit of tolerance, forgiveness in the face of political provocation, betrayal and back-stabbing since he assumed the position of the leader, APC Bayelsa Chapter.
Yakiah maintains that in the period of Sylva political adversity occasioned by negative emotion and deliberate sabotage of leadership of the Bayelsa APC, the Okpoama born politician has recorded credible results when he led the party to impressive elections in 2019 general elections, that produced Chief David Lyon as Governor elect, a Senator, two members of House of Representatives.
The statement notes that, same year, the Bayelsa APC under the leadership of Chief Timipre Sylva scored
118,821 votes for President Muhammadu Buhari in 2019 general elections, a result that turned out to be the highest APC got across the South and South East States in Nigeria.
Chief Timipre Sylva, a prominent Nigerian politician born on the 7th of July 1964 in Okpoama, Brass Council Area of Bayelsa State.
Sylva had his formal basic education in Bayelsa State and tertiary education at the University of Port Harcourt, Rivers State where he graduated with distinction in English (Linguistics).
As a young man growing into maturity and a wave of political consciousness, Sylva’s political rise to stardom began in 1992 when he won a seat in the Old Rivers State House of Assembly to represent Brass Constituency
Though his representation was short-lived by the Military era under late General Sani Abacha, Timipre Sylva was later appointed in 2001 by late civilian Governor Diepriye Alamieyeseigha as Special Adviser he equally served as
Special Assistant to the Minister of State for Energy (Now, Petroleum Resources), Dr. Edmund Daukoru.
He left that role to join the Bayelsa Governorship race and he was elected as the Governor Bayelsa State.
The administration of Chief Sylva which runs from 2007-2012 recorded visible transformation in the education, health and agricultural sector.
Notably among his achievements as Governor are the : clearing and land reclamation of Yenagoa Business District, Construction of fifty two link roads in Yenagoa.
Others are Building and Furnishing of Multi-billion naira glory land castle and completion of Azikoro Estate Phase ll.
The completion of Onuebum-Otuoke road, Yenagoa Gateway Road Phase l.
He awarded the contract for the Umar Musa Yar’Adua International Airport and that of Yenagoa Gateway Road Phase ll.
His infrastructure development agenda extends to the construction of Bayelsa Tower Hotel Centre from second floor to its present eighteenth floor.
The Chief Timipre Sylva administration on Education sector built and equipped the Bayelsa State Library.
Sylva approved and completed the construction of Modern Universal Basic Education(UBE) Schools across communities in the eight Local Government Areas of the State.
The former Governor awarded foreign scholarships and expanded existing programmes to include skill acquisitions.
In a stroke of genius, Sylva attracted the Nigeria Law School to Yenagoa.
Built and furnished the School Campus and established a special fund for the
construction of a new and upgraded existing required standard.
Chief Sylva initiated and sandfill the new Campus site of the Niger Delta University, Amassoma .
The former lawmaker also engaged on aggressive electrification of rural communities and improved supply and distribution of electricity in the State.
In the area of Health, Sylva delivered an affordable and furnishing of Ultra – Modern Diete-Koki Memorial Hospital, Opolo with equipment.
The release observed that Chief Sylva was appointed as Minister of State for Petroleum in August 2019 by President Muhammadu Buhari, forged a rare collaboration that brought synergy to operations in the oil and gas industry, leading to peace and stability of the rich oil Niger Delta region.
Under Sylva watch as Petroleum Minister, the sector recorded the signing of the Final Investment Decision for NLNG Train 7 project, the commencement of the AKK pipeline project championed by the NNPC and implementation of the deregulation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.
Other notable accomplishments include the completion and commissioning of the 17 storey headquarters building of the Nigerian Content Development and Monitoring Board (NCDMB) and commissioning of the Waltersmith modular refinery developed with 30 percent equity from the NCDMB at
Ibigwe community, Ohaji-Egbema Local Government Area of Imo State.
Other notable achievements are the completion of Phase 1 of the Port Harcourt Refinery Rehabilitation exercise and the re-opening of OML 25 flow station in Rivers State after two years of inactivity as a result of community issues between the host community/Belema Oil and Shell Petroleum Development Company.
Chief Izzi also mentioned that the celebrant who was born on the
7 of July 1964 in Okpoama, Brass Council Area of Bayelsa State will be remembered for his dedication to the passage of the Petroleum Industry Act in 2021.
