The Bayelsa Governorship Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief Timipre Sylva on Monday, cautioned Gov Douye Diri, candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to leave the Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila out of his frustration ahead of the November 11 governorship election.

Sylva said his attention was drawn to a media report sponsored by Diri alleging that Sylva was behind attempts to blackmail Gbajabiamila in a bid to influence some federal board appointments and weaken the chief of staff.

But the former Petroleum Minister described the report, which also alleged that he was trying to influence INEC postings in Bayelsa State to the APC’s favour as “the job of scavenging mercenaries”.

He said it was curious that “the poorly-worded piece had none of newspaper’s team of journalists he described as among the best in the country on it

Sylva in a statement signed by his Special Assistant on Media and Public Affairs, Julius Bokoru, said instead an ambiguous “Our Reporter” was credited as the author of the report, creating instant impressions that the “black-market publication may have slipped through the platform’s’s very professional management”.

He said: “The publication is false and is as sordid as the depressed minds of its sponsors. Sylva’s democratic records are there for all to see. He is no cynic, nor is he one to seek victory or political success through illegitimate means. Sylva’s sincerity, patriotism and passion for progress has been his spur in what has now become a stellar journey of service.

“It is worrying that the Bayelsa State Government, prompted by a certain Israel Sunny-Goli, would abandon its duty of governance and delve into low-rate, lethargic propaganda, procured, very painfully, by tax payers monies of the state.

“Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila is a true party man, a well spoken academic, a fine man of grand qualities and a true friend and ally of Chief Sylva, this recent attempt at sowing seeds of discord between Sylva and the Chief of Staff to the President is an exercise in futility”

Sylva said President Bola Tinubu would appoint competent hands into vacant positions, as he had done in the recently sworn-in cabinet members in his drive to industrialize and open up Nigeria to greater laps of progress and peace”.

The statement said: “Sylva is also not the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), it is therefore not his place to move INEC staff around the country. That aspect of the publication is also another lie paid for by the very unpopular Bayelsa State Government presently led by Senator Douye Diri.

“The ongoing blitzkrieg of propaganda against Sylva is a symptom of the current administration’s cluelessness and edginess, cast in between a failed run and an integrity test at the polls, it has switched to survival mode by lying, scheming, intimidating and liquidating the state treasury in managing its sweeping rejections by the people.

“November 11 is not just an election, but a liberation of Bayelsans from the concentration camp such a great state has been reduced to. Sylva urges Bayelsans to remain tall and strong, steadfast and hopeful as we are edging closer to a bright, new day”.