What’s Next for Timipre Sylva as Former Oil Minister Goes Under the Radar

Life is often a question of ups and downs, highs and lows, victories and losses. What usually matters is how an individual responds during low points. For former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, low points are the referee’s whistle to take a break and live under the radar.

Bayelsa State is home to many, including natives. Sylva, one of the most high-profile sons of the Bayelsa soil, may not be counted among the residents anymore. Due to losing the gubernatorial election that would have returned him to governorship status, Sylva is no longer attending all public meetings or visiting traditional rulers across the state.

Sylva’s secretiveness, if taciturnity can be called secretiveness, comes after he lost the election to one of his successors, Douye Diri. Before the elections, Sylva faced some challenges with getting his name to remain on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) list of candidates. He had to go to court to contest as the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate.

However, after going through all that stress, Sylva lost the election to Diri, polling 110,108 votes, less than 65,000 votes behind Diri’s 175,196 votes. This demonstrated the difference in the confidence that the Bayelsan people had towards Diri and Sylva, and things took a worse turn when former President Goodluck Jonathan stated that he would have taken his mother out of Bayelsa if Diri had not won the election.

Jonathan’s alleged comments on the election cemented things for Sylva. Even though he still leaves comments here and there on social media, he has been relegated to the corner, again. Only God knows when he will be able to return to political power.

At least, Sylva has some self-awareness. With such mountains in front of him, the man has humbled himself and taken leave of the public space. Perhaps, the coming years will be kinder to him and accommodating of his ambitions.