Ex-Militant Leaders Attribute APC’s Defeat to Alleged Sylva-Tompolo Alliance in Bayelsa

In a recent statement, ex-militant leaders from the Niger Delta region have pointed fingers at an alleged alliance between Timipre Sylva and former militant leader Government Ekpemukpolo, popularly known as Tompolo, for the defeat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the Bayelsa governorship election.

The ex-militants claim that the award of over $370 million, intended for Bayelsa’s central corridor, to a contractor in Delta State had irked many ex-militants in the region. According to a statement released on Tuesday, they believe the electorate’s overwhelming support for the winning candidate was a deliberate move to counter what they perceive as an undemocratic agenda orchestrated by the Sylva/Tompolo alliance.

Signed by Fidelis Nagard, also known as ‘Water Python,’ the statement suggests that the ex-militant leaders aimed to demonstrate to the Federal Government and the administration of APC National Chairman Abdullahi Ganduje that Tompolo no longer holds political sway in the Niger Delta. The leaders argue that Tompolo’s influence is waning, accusing him of betraying their trust to secure a pipeline surveillance contract for himself and his ally.

The ex-militant leaders are urging the Federal Government to reconsider policies for regional development and empowerment, emphasizing that figures like Tompolo should not be intermediaries. They assert that politicians aligned with Tompolo will face disgrace and retirement, much like Timipre Sylva.

Additionally, the leaders are calling on the government to review the crude oil pipeline surveillance contract, advocating for decentralization to ensure a fair and transparent distribution of resources in the region.