By Gabriel Ewepu

A former Jonathan/Sambo Support Group 2015, House2House, Director General, Ogidi Ben Bara, Monday, condemned alleged comments made by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, on the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri over development in the State.

Bara said Sylva has to be cautioned on statements he allegedly made while on live radio programme in Yenagoa on Saturday.

He said: “The former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Timipre Sylva, is just being economical with the truth about the impact the Diri-led administration is making within two years of his government.

“Sylva only demonstrated his sheer clueless attitude to what he does not know about ongoing projects executed by the Prosperity Government led by His Excellency, Senator Douye Diri.

“How can he think there is nothing happening in terms of developmental projects in Bayelsa State? This is a man whom has been reading about the rapid pace of development and engagement of youths in the state, and he is feigning ignorance.

“In fact, it is a big disappointment for a serving Minister and leader of an opposition party to nakedly dance on a radio station with no remorse of what he displaced as his comments to disparage the Governor with no iota of truth.

“He has to be abreast with what happens back home. His statements are only to incite the people of Bayelsa State based on his unfounded claims he was uttering on that radio programme.

“We want him to understand that cheap blackmail is for the low-thinking people, and it is not the way to go.”

He (Bara) added the Minister should always get his facts right and stop the utterances that could be injurious to him and that should not be the way to communicate on radio to the public, hence it is not a civilized politics he is playing to score cheap political points.

He also drew the attention of the Minister to focus on the issues on petroleum, especially, now there is serious hardship resulting from the occasion of importation of adulterated fuel into the country.

“The Minister should focus the current hardship Nigerians are passing through die to importation of adulterated fuel that led to damage of vehicles and other related machines.

“He should be concerned about reducing the long queue currently in Abuja, Lagos and other parts of the country emanating from the issue of adulterated fuel.

“If this could happen under his watch who is he criticizing about bad governance?

“Has he been able to fish out those behind this criminal act, and is he thinking of how to make the refineries work, and how to stop subsidy?

“We advice you as the Minister of Petroleum Resources on how to improve on these issues should be tackled including implementation of the Petroleum Industry Act”, he said.

However, he pointed that the Diri-led Prosperity Government is poised to transform the lives of Bayelsans based on the projects, policies and programmes his government he is executing, which have brought a new direction of development to the State.

He further stated that Diri should be commended for what he is doing for the people of the State, and Bayelsans are appreciating the governor for his focus and inclusivity.

“I commend the Governor for the development strides, and the recent breaking of the jinx in Igbedi Town in Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, for constructing and commissioning of the road after 500 years this community was cut-off because of no road, and this has become a game-changer in this community.

“We don’t care about what Slyva and others may say because they are incapable of discouraging the Governor rather God will strengthen His Excellency to do more for the betterment and benefit of Bayelsans’, he added.

It will be recalled that last week Saturday, the Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, while on a radio station in Yenagoa, scores Diri’s performance low, which he described the Prosperity Administration as colossal failure in infrastructural development, power supply and distribution, and urban area development.

However, the Minister said he no personal issue with the Governor as a person, but maintained that Diri-led administration has failed Bayelsans in the last two years after it was inaugurated.

 He said “I like Gov. Douye Diri as a person even though we are not in same party but that doesn’t mean that I like all of his policies in governance.”