A former security adviser to Chief Timipre Sylva and chieftain of the APC in Bayelsa State, has spoken of his relationship with Sylva and why he fell out with him.
Slyva is now the Minister of State for Petroeleum Resources and the party’s leader in Bayelsa.
Chief Richard Kpodoh said in a statement in Yenagoa on Friday that he was not comfortable that despite the risk he took for Sylva, he was left in the cold when he needed him most.
On his decision to oppose some of Sylva’s actions was in the interest of the public and the party in particular, Kpodoh said his expectation had always been for Sylva to show transparent and selfless leadership. With that, Kpodoh said Sylva would enjoy a wonderful followership.
He insisted that he had always meant well for Sylva and the APC, hence his consistency in fighting for justice.
“I have been with Sylva for a very long time. I was with him when the cloud was dark. I was there and fought one of the toughest and roughest battles of my political life.
“For his sake, I battled with very key persons in our state. Those actions, which were on the public interest, attracted severe negative attention to me and my businesses.
“At some point, I became like a fugitive. I suffered all that because I decided to fight what I considered the unjust treatment of Sylva by a few persons at the top at that time.
“I am the same person today, who is telling Sylva that things must be done properly in our party. I have repeatedly said we cannot treat Bayelsa differently as we prepare to have our governorship primary this Saturday.
“My position remains that if we used the indirect primary method in Kogi, we should apply same method in Bayelsa. Sylva should lead us along this line.
“We do not have to go through what Rivers and Zamfara went through. We can avoid all of this if Sylva leads us in that direction.
“A court of competent jurisdiction has already given and order that we must not use the direct primary in. We must take judicial notice of this and do the right thing.”
Kpodoh said he had no personal issues with Sylva other than the insistence on due process and right actions.
According to him, there was the urgent need for Sylva to ensure that a credible person emerges as candidate of the party so that the APC could take over the state.
“My grouse with Sylva is nothing other than the need for him to be neutral and show leadership as we prepare for our primaries.
“I expect him to allow a level playing field for everybody. When you show clearly that you love one person and hat.
