Timipre Sylva Resigns From APC, Accuses Tinubu Government of Political Persecution

Former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, has resigned from the All-Progressives Congress (APC), accusing the party and the Bola Tinubu administration of abandoning the principles upon which the party was founded.

Sylva announced his resignation in a letter addressed to the APC chairman in Ward 4, Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, on Monday.

The former governor said he reached the decision after consultations with members of his family, associates, political colleagues and supporters.

Having consulted widely with my family, associates, colleagues and sympathisers, I wish to formally tender my resignation from the All-Progressives Congress (APC), with immediate effect,” Sylva said in the letter.

Sylva, who described himself as a founding member of the APC, said he was deeply disappointed by what he regarded as the party’s transformation since it came to power.

He recalled his role, alongside other members, in building the APC and said it was painful to see what he described as the systematic abandonment of the values that initially attracted him to the party.

As a founding member of the APC, and one who joined other well-meaning Nigerians in building the Party with sweat and money, it is deeply saddening to witness how the ideals we espoused have been so thoroughly and unrecognisably thwarted,” he said.

According to him, his decision was influenced by what he described as the growing political mentality that all is fair in politics.

Sylva argued that political considerations should not override basic standards of morality, decency and fairness.

All cannot be fair in any endeavour of life. The demands of basic decency and morality forbid it. Unfortunately, this mentality appears to underpin virtually every action, and even inaction, of this administration, he said.

Sylva’s departure from the APC comes against the backdrop of ongoing legal and political controversies involving the former governor.

In November 2025, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) declared Sylva wanted in connection with an alleged financial crime case involving conspiracy and dishonest conversion of $14,859,257.

He was subsequently named among suspects in an alleged plot to overthrow the Tinubu administration and listed as one of the defendants in a 13-count charge filed by the Federal Government over the alleged coup plot.

Sylva has denied wrongdoing and his resignation letter indicates that his decision to leave the APC was rooted primarily in his political disagreement with the direction of the party and the administration.

In a significant part of his resignation letter, Sylva also criticised the EFCC, accusing the anti-graft agency of failing to operate independently.

The former petroleum minister said he had forwarded a copy of his resignation letter to the commission.

He alleged that the EFCC had increasingly acted as though it were an organ of the ruling APC rather than an independent institution of the Nigerian state.

Sylva’s allegation adds another layer to his ongoing dispute with the authorities, particularly given the corruption allegations previously brought against him.

Sylva said he could no longer remain in a political organisation whose direction he believed had become irredeemable.

He described the APC as a “floundering ship” and said he had decided to leave rather than continue to associate with what he characterised as its current political trajectory.

“The present Government, formed under the banner of the APC we once loved, has disappointed the vast majority of Nigerians. And I can see neither a credible attempt nor any possibility of a revamp, he said.

He added that he had decided to jettison a floundering ship whose fate appears to have been sealed by its irredeemable load of iniquities

The former governor acknowledged that his resignation could expose him and his political associates to increased pressure from government agencies.

He said, however, that he was prepared to accept the consequences of his decision.

“I am fully aware that this action of mine may invite a redoubled witch-hunt against me and my associates, but that is a risk I am willing to take, Sylva said.

His statement is likely to fuel further political debate over the relationship between opposition politics, security agencies and anti-corruption institutions as Nigeria approaches the 2027 general election.

Looking ahead to the next general election, Sylva expressed confidence that Nigerian voters would have an opportunity to change the country’s political direction.

Although he did not announce a new political platform in his resignation letter, he said he believed Nigerians would ultimately vote in the interest of the country and end what he described as the present political “stranglehold”

His resignation comes at a politically sensitive period, with political parties and influential politicians already positioning themselves ahead of the 2027 presidential and other elections.

Sylva’s exit could therefore have implications for political alignments in Bayelsa State and the wider South-South region.

Sylva’s resignation represents another high-profile departure from the APC as political activities intensify ahead of 2027.

The former governor was an influential figure in Bayelsa politics and previously served as Minister of State for Petroleum Resources under the Muhammadu Buhari administration.

His decision to leave the APC is expected to generate reactions from party leaders and political stakeholders, particularly in Bayelsa and the South-South.

For Sylva, however, the resignation marks a decisive break with a party he helped build and an administration he now openly criticises.

The former governor’s next political move remains uncertain, but his comments suggest that he intends to remain active in the political process ahead of the 2027 elections.