Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources and former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, has again addressed circulating reports linking him to an alleged coup plot and claims that he has fled the country, describing them as baseless and politically motivated.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Mr. Julius Bokoru, Sylva clarified that while his Abuja residence was recently raided by individuals believed to be operatives of the Defence Headquarters, he had no involvement in any plot and was not even in the country at the time.
According to Bokoru, the raid on Sylva’s home resulted in significant damage to property, yet no official explanation or authorization for the operation has been provided.
“Despite sustained efforts, I have been unable to ascertain the reasons or authorisation for this raid,” Bokoru said. “To the best of my knowledge, the officers involved did not provide any categorical explanation for their actions, either at the time or subsequently.”
He explained that Chief Sylva and his wife, Her Excellency Alanyingi Sylva, were both abroad during the incident — the former minister for a routine medical check-up in the United Kingdom, after which he was scheduled to attend a professional conference in Malaysia.
Bokoru said the emergence of social media reports alleging that Sylva had fled Nigeria was false and malicious, emphasizing that his principal remains committed to democratic values and transparency.
“It is important to state emphatically that Chief Timipre Sylva has no involvement whatsoever—either in planning or in logistics—with any such plot,” he stated.
The Defence Headquarters has also dismissed circulating rumours of a coup, stressing that there is no such plan within the military.
Describing Sylva as a “thoroughbred democrat,” Bokoru recalled his principal’s political journey from the Old Rivers State House of Assembly to his tenure as Governor of Bayelsa State, adding that his achievements were earned through democratic processes.
He also highlighted Sylva’s loyalty to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his active role in strengthening the All Progressives Congress (APC), particularly in Bayelsa State.
“His unwavering support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a matter of public record,” Bokoru noted. “It remains fresh in memory how he mobilized the entire Bayelsa APC structure to unanimously endorse President Tinubu at the APC Bayelsa Expanded Stakeholders’ Meeting.”
Bokoru attributed the ongoing rumours to “desperate politicians” eyeing the 2027 general elections, accusing them of attempting to tarnish Sylva’s credibility.
“These rumours are nothing more than the handiwork of desperate and narcissistic politicians already consumed by ambitions for 2027,” he said. “They see Sylva as their last real obstacle.”
The statement concluded with a call for Nigerians to disregard unfounded allegations and for the media to prioritize accuracy, professionalism, and national stability in their reporting.
