Timi Frank, a former national deputy publicity secretary for the All Progressives Congress (APC), has urged Bayelsa State’s governor to launch a swift investigation into Timipre Sylva’s suspected certificate fabrication and identity theft.
In a statement released to PulseNets in Abuja on Thursday, Frank said that if the investigation’s findings are supported, Sylva should lose the title “His Excellency” due to an alleged certificate fraud.
An anti-corruption organisation working under the auspices of Citizens Initiative for Better Nigeria requested Sylva to answer to the claims made against him to that effect in a recent lawsuit on Wednesday. Sylva did so, and Frank responded in a statement.
Incorporated Trustees of Transparency Advocacy for Development Initiative (TADI), a concerned organisation, had previously taken the Minister of State for Petroleum to court over the matter.
The group called attention to a conflicting spelling of Timipre Sylva’s name, particularly on his certificates, in a complaint with the file number FHC/ABJ/CS/1563/2022.
Sylva in the suit was asked to explain differences in “Anagha Timipere, Marlin Anagha Timipre, Anagha Timipre Marlin and Chief Timipre Sylva.’
Frank recalled that David Lyon was removed from office as governor-elect of Bayelsa State by the Supreme Court less than 24 hours before his inauguration due to a similar conflict in names.
He said: “The apex court upheld the judgement of a Federal High Court that disqualified Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, Lyon’s running mate, for submitting forged credentials to INEC.”
The governor, Duoye Diri, was requested in the statement to swiftly look into the claims and determine whether they are true or false.
He urged the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to swiftly enact a law that would remove Sylva’s name from the list of the state’s past governors until he was vindicated in court.
In addition, Frank suggested that President Buhari immediately remove his Minister from office in light of the lawsuit that had been brought against him, stating that “Sylva should be compelled to refund all monies paid to him in terms of emoluments and allowances while in office.”
Frank, who represents the United Liberation Movement for West Papua (ULMWP) in East Africa and the Middle East, urged international oil companies (IOCs) to stop doing business with the Minister until he can refute the accusations.
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