Former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva.
Former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has resigned from the All Progressives Congress (APC), declaring that he can no longer remain in a party whose leaders, according to him, believe that “all is fair in politics.”
Sylva announced his resignation with immediate effect in a letter dated August 31, 2026, addressed to the APC Chairman of Ward 4 in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
The former governor said he reached the decision after consultations with his family, associates, colleagues and supporters.
Sylva, who described himself as a founding member of the APC, said he was deeply disappointed by what he called the abandonment of the principles and ideals that guided the formation of the party.
He said his decision was also driven by his disagreement with what he described as the political conduct of some APC leaders.
“Moreover, I cannot, in all good conscience, continue to belong to a Party whose leaders believe that ‘all is fair in politics,’ and have consistently demonstrated that belief in practice.”
According to Sylva, political competition should not be separated from basic standards of decency and morality.
He also took aim at the APC-led Federal Government, accusing the administration of failing to meet the expectations of the majority of Nigerians.
Sylva said he could neither see a credible effort to reverse the situation nor any realistic prospect of the government reviving its fortunes under the current circumstances.
Describing the APC as a “floundering ship,” the former governor said he had been left with no option but to walk away from the ruling party.
He further predicted a political shift in the forthcoming election, expressing confidence that Nigerians would reject the APC and choose what he described as a new direction for the country.
According to Sylva, Nigerians would “vote for Nigeria” and seek to break what he called the APC’s “stranglehold” on the country.
Sylva raises EFCC allegation
In one of the most contentious aspects of his resignation letter, Sylva copied the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on the document and accused the anti-graft agency of increasingly operating “more as an organ of the APC than as an institution of State.”
The allegation, if sustained, could add another layer to the political fallout surrounding Sylva’s departure from the APC.
The former governor, however, acknowledged that leaving the ruling party could come with consequences.
He said he was aware that the decision could expose him and his associates to what he described as a “redoubled witch-hunt,” but maintained that he was prepared to accept the risk.
Copies of the resignation letter were also addressed to the APC National Chairman and the Bayelsa State Chairman of the party.
Sylva’s exit comes at a politically significant period as parties and politicians begin positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 general elections.
