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Bayelsa Guber polls: APC ‘s Lokpobiri, Lyon abandon Sylva
Ahead of the November 2023 governorship election in Bayelsa state, the All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders in State have fallen apart.
There are about 10 political parties fielding candidates for the poll, but the incumbent Governor Douye Diri, who is seeking re-election on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and former Minister of State for Petroleum resources Chief Timipreye Sylva of APC are the main contenders .
A challenged Diri is said to have made incursions into the divided APC fold to woo key members into the PDP camp.
Dependable source told our correspondent in Yenogoa that Diri has lured prominent APC leaders who have issues with Sylva, including the Minister of State for Petroleum (Oil), Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, and 2019 governorship candidate, David Lyon, into his camp.
Informed sources alleged that Lokpobiri and Lyon are believed to be working behind the scene for Diri’s re-election.
This accounts for why Lokpobiri and Lyon have distanced themselves from the campaigns and political activities of Sylva in the countdown to the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the oil-bearing state.
The misgivings between Lokpobiri and Sylva it was gathered manifested when Sylva allegedly declined to support the ministerial bid of the former.
Lyon, who was defeated at the primary by Sylva felt short changed on the ground that he should have been giving the right of first refusal .
Lyon, who was sacked as Bayelsa state governor-elect by the Supreme Court in February 2020, had expected an automatic ticket in the consideration of the gubernatorial candidate of the party in the November election.
Even the intervention by the National Chairman of APC , Alhaji Abdullahi Ganduje, and other top leaders of the party for the warring chieftains to work together did not assuage them.
Diri is said to be capitalising on the crisis to woo the opposition members and promising them political patronage .
Chief of the governor’s promise is to hand over to Lokpobiri as governor with Lyon as his deputy ” if the duo can fully abandon Sylva and team up with him to consolidate his hold on the oil-producing,South-south state”
Besides , Diri is said to have promised 50 slots of Senior Special Assistants (SSAs) each to Lokpobiri and Lyon as well as other largesse in due course .
Inside source stressed: “This alliance between the governor and APC top chieftains implies that the two may have to defect to the PDP after Lokpobiri has served his term as minister in the Tinubu administration ahead of the battle to succeed Diri in 2026.”
Meanwhile, Governor Diri is said to be uncomfortable with the silent and lukewarm attitude of his predecessor, Senator Seriake Dickson, who has distanced himself from his administration.
“In Bayelsa, the former governor and his loyalists are feeling alienated and marginalized in the scheme of things .
Dickson was said to be disenchanted that Diri was running the show especially with the opposition elements without his inputs.
Diri has not limited its ‘succession promises’ to Lokpobiri and Lyon and APC family alone; he has extended it to other big wigs in his party.
A source hinted that the governor has also promised Senator Benson Agadaga (Bayelsa East) the succession opportunity. Agadaga is from Ogbia, the home base of former President Goodluck Jonathan.
The source said: “Diri is promising succession across party lines by making overtures to APC and PDP. He also promised the Director General of his campaign council, Hon. Mitema Obodor, who is a member of the House of Representatives ,representing Ogbia Constituency of succession.
“So, also is Robert Enogha, a former Commissioner and two-time member of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, who also hails from Ogbia.
“The three of them, Diri has made succession promises to – Obodor; Agadaga and Enogha, are all of Goodluck Jonathan’s stock in Ogbia. This succession promise for Ogbia guys is a ploy to secure Dr. Jonathan blessing and support in the November poll.
“He (Jonathan) is supporting Diri’s election because of dummy the governor has sold to him that one of his kinsmen from Ogbia is going to succeed him after his second term in office. ”
By Abubakar Yunusa
Dangote Petroleum Refinery has slashed its ex-depot price of premium motor spirit (PMS), also known as petrol, to N825.
Esan Sunday, head of media relations and branding communications at Dangote Group, announced the reduction in a statement on Wednesday.
The development comes more than three weeks after the refinery reduced petrol price from N950 per litre to N890.
The new price means that the refinery has significantly cut the ex-depot price by N125 from N950 per litre in January.
“This recent price reduction will also ensure that Nigerians pay between N860 and N865 per litre for petrol at the pump in Lagos,” the statement reads.
“This strategic price adjustment is designed to provide essential relief to Nigerians in celebration of the Ramadan season, while also supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s economic recovery policy by alleviating the financial burden on the Nigerian populace.
“It is important to note that Dangote Petroleum Refinery has consistently lowered the prices of petrol and other refined petroleum products to the benefit of Nigerians.
“This marks the second reduction of PMS prices in February 2025, following a previous decrease of N60 earlier in the month.
“Additionally, in December 2024, during the yuletide period, the refinery reduced the price of PMS by N70.50, from N970 to N899.50 per litre, as part of its commitment to easing the cost of living and providing relief to Nigerians during the holiday season.”
The oil firm refinery also said previous reductions have positively impacted the overall cost of living, benefiting various sectors of the economy.
Dangote refinery added that its high-quality products, which have become a favourite in both domestic and international markets, will remain available nationwide, particularly through its key partners — MRS Holdings, AP (Ardova Petroleum), and Heyden — at market-friendly rates.
The organisation assured the public of a consistent supply of petroleum products, with sufficient reserves to meet domestic demand and a surplus for export, thereby boosting the country’s foreign exchange (FX) earnings.
The refinery also called on marketers to support the initiative, ensuring that Nigerians remain the primary beneficiaries of its effort
Abdullahi Ganduje, the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), says the ruling party had a debt of N8.9 billion when he assumed office.
Ganduje took over from Abdullahi Adamu, who was the national chairman of the APC until his resignation in July 2023.
Speaking during the APC’s NEC meeting in Abuja on Wednesday, the former Kano governor said the expenses were incurred during pre-election legal battles, election cases, and appeals for legislative, governorship, and presidential elections.
“The current NWC inherited debts and legal liabilities to the total tune of N8,987,874,663, arising from various legal engagements,” Ganduje said.
However, the APC chairman said Kareem Kana, the national legal adviser, has been working to reduce the debt burden.
“We still passionately appeal to the national executive committee to intervene accordingly,” he said.
Earlier today, the chairman said the party is making efforts to mend internal divisions and bring aggrieved members back into the fold.
Ganduje explained that the APC had initiated high-level discussions among party leaders and stakeholders to address lingering disagreements and strengthen party unity.
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has arraigned Jude Okoye, the elder brother and former manager of Paul and Peter Okoye of the defunct music group, P-Square, on charges of laundering ₦1.38billion, $ 1 million and £34,537.59.
Jude was arraigned alongside his company, Northside Music Ltd, before Justice Alexander Owoeye of the Federal High Court, Lagos, on a seven-count charge
One of the counts read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did directly acquire a landed property known as No 5, Tony Eromosele Street Parkview Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth ₦850,000,000.00 (Eight hundred and fifty million naira) only, which money you knew or reasonably ought to have known forms part of proceeds of unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2) (d) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
Another count read: “That you, Jude Okoye Chigozie and Northside Music Ltd sometime in 2022, in Lagos, within the jurisdiction of this Honourable Court, did indirectly using bureau de change convert the sum of $1,019,762.87 (One million nineteen thousand, seven hundred and six-two dollars eighty-seven cents), domiciled in Access Bank Plc operated by Northside Music Lid to the naira equivalent and remitted into various bank accounts with the intention of concealing that the said fund form part of the proceeds of an unlawful act and thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 18 (2)(a) and punishable under Section 18 (3) of the Money Laundering (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2022.”
He pleaded “not guilty” to the charges.
In view of his plea, the prosecution counsel, Larry Peters Aso, applied for a date for hearing as well as for the remand of the defendant in the correctional facility pending trial.
The defendant’s counsel, Inibehe Effiong, informed the court of a pending bail application. He asked for a short date for the hearing. Effiong also asked that the defendant be remanded in the EFCC’s custody pending the hearing of the application.
Aso objected to the request for the defendant to be remanded in the EFCC custody. He argued that the EFCC custody was already congested with suspects awaiting arraignment. He urged the court to remand the defendant to the correctional facility since he had taken his plea.
Justice Owoeye adjourned the matter till February 28 for bail hearing and April 14 for trial.
He also ordered that the defendant be remanded in the Ikoyi correctional facility.