Desperate politicians behind false coup allegation against Timipre Sylva – Aide

The Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs to former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, Julius Bokoru, has dismissed reports linking his principal to an alleged coup plot, describing them as false, baseless, and politically driven.

In a statement issued on Wednesday, Bokoru said the rumours making the rounds were fabricated by desperate politicians seeking to advance their ambitions ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Earlier reports indicated that military investigators were probing an alleged plan to overthrow President Bola Tinubu, with claims that the Managing Director of a Federal Government agency in the South-South had been arrested for allegedly transferring large sums to Sylva, suspected of being one of the financiers.

Reacting to the allegation, Bokoru said some politicians had resorted to “mischief and propaganda” because they saw Sylva as a major threat to their political ambitions.

He accused them of taking their desperation to “nauseating levels,” driven by Sylva’s “intimidating political presence and credibility.”

He described Sylva as “an unrepentant and thoroughbred democrat” who has consistently demonstrated support for President Bola Tinubu and his administration.

Bokoru recalled that Sylva recently mobilised the All Progressives Congress (APC) structure in Bayelsa State to unanimously endorse Tinubu at an expanded stakeholders’ meeting.

Confirming that Sylva’s Abuja residence was recently raided by persons believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters, Bokoru said the incident caused significant damage to the property.

He noted that Sylva and his wife were both out of the country at the time of the raid.

“His Excellency, Chief Timipre Sylva, was in the United Kingdom for routine medical checks and is scheduled to proceed to Malaysia to attend a professional conference,” Bokoru clarified, stressing that claims that Sylva fled the country were untrue.

He explained that despite efforts to confirm the reasons for the raid, no official explanation was provided by the security operatives involved.

Bokoru further noted that the Defence Headquarters had already denied the rumours of any coup plot in Nigeria and reaffirmed that Sylva had no connection, directly or indirectly, with any such plan.

“Chief Sylva is a thoroughbred democrat whose political journey has always been rooted in transparency and the will of the people.”

“From his early days in the Rivers State House of Assembly to his tenure as Bayelsa governor, his achievements have been through democratic means,” Bokoru stated.

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He concluded that the rumours were “nothing but the handiwork of desperate and narcissistic politicians already consumed by their ambitions for 2027, who see Sylva as their last real obstacle, a man whose political credibility continues to expose their dark, self-serving motives.”

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