An All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain in Bayelsa State, Chief Izzi Yakiah has said the people of the state are desirous to have former minister Chief Timipre Sylva return and serve out his second term because of the appalling performance of the incumbent administration in the state.

Sylva, the APC governorship candidate in last year’s election, is in court seeking to void the victory of PDP candidate and incumbent Senator Douye Diri and to be declared winner of the election.

In a press statement to mark Sylva’s birthday yesterday, Yakiah, who also national coordinator of Niger Delta Media Activists Group and Excellent Leadership Foundation, said the people of Bayelsa, especially the downtrodden masses, are now fully aware that Sylva meant well for them while he served as governor between 2007-2011.

Yakiah described the former Bayelsa governor and ex-minister for petroluem, as a champion of human capacity development in the Niger Delta region, adding that he is a beacon of hope for Nigerian youths being the pioneer Pro Chancellor of Nigeria Maritime University, Okerenkoko.

In a statement, Yakiah recalled that Sylva, whose rise in Nigerian politics began in 1992 when he won a seat in the Old Rivers State House of Assembly to represent Brass Constituency, has demonstrated dedication to serving humanity and has initiated policies that relatively brought peace and stability to the Niger region at the heat of agitations for resource control.

He recalled Sylva’s role in the establishment of the Presidential Amnesty Programme in 2009 through late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua which paved the way for self-development of Niger Delta youths in various fields of endeavours.

He said Sylva, as Bayelsa governor between 2007 to January, 2012, developed an elaborate infrastructure roadmap which saw the clearing and land reclamation of Bayelsa Business District, construction of 52 internal link roads within Yenagoa metropolis, building and furnishing the multi billion naira Glory Land Castle, completion of Azikoro phase two, initiated and completed Onuebum – Otuoke road, Yenagoa Gateway road phase one .

Other infrastructural projects by the Sylva-led administration include, building and equipping of the Bayelsa State Library, building of the Yenagoa Tower Hotel and International Conference Centre from second floor to eighteen floor among others.

He added that Sylva’s community electrification project ensured distribution of stable electricity power to boost small scale businesses.

The APC chieftain said as minister of state, Sylva was instrumental to the passage of the Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB), signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on August 16, 2021; the launch of the Decade of Gas Initiative in 2020 and the National Gas Expansion Program (NGEP), which is aimed at improving domestic LPG consumption and deepening the use of alternative fuels such as CNG for vehicular.

“Other achievements of the former minister also include the harmonised data reporting to Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and provision of comprehensive technical support for Nigeria’s representation at OPEC and ensuring that the Federal Government took the Final Investment Decision (FID) that led to the development of the $7bn NLNG Train 7 project and championing Africa’s position for a multi-dimensional approach to energy transition using gas as a transition fuel,” Yakiah said.