Retract In 7 Days Or Face Me In Court!” – Timipre Sylva Blows Hot Over Explosive Online Report

Former Minister of Petroleum, Timipre Sylva, has strongly denied allegations by Sahara Reporters that he sponsored thugs to disrupt a traditional chiefs’ meeting in Bayelsa State.

In a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Julius Bokoru, Sylva dismissed the report as false and malicious, giving the online platform seven days to retract the story or face legal action. He stressed that even those attempting to link him to the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa knew the allegations were baseless.

“Nothing could be further from the truth,” the statement read. “As a chief, former Governor of Bayelsa State, and former Minister of State for Petroleum, Sylva has always rejected violence. During his tenure, he played a major role in the Presidential Amnesty Programme, which helped restore peace to the Niger Delta and ensured stable oil revenues.”

The statement further clarified that Sylva was in Abuja at the time of the incident and had no ties to the perpetrators. It also accused Sahara Reporters of abandoning journalistic integrity, describing the report as a “hatchet job” intended to malign his reputation.

Concluding, Bokoru stated: “Chief Sylva gives Sahara Reporters seven working days to issue a public apology, retract their report, or be ready to defend their claims in court.”