In the aftermath of the recently concluded governorship election in Bayelsa State, the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate, Timipre Sylva, has expressed disappointment with former President Goodluck Jonathan’s remarks on the outcome. Governor Douye Diri of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) secured his re-election during the Saturday polls.
Jonathan, in his congratulatory message to Governor Diri, anticipated that the victory would contribute to enhancing the security situation in the state. He even humorously mentioned that he would have relocated his mother to Abuja if Diri had not won.
Sylva, in response to Jonathan’s comments, described them as unfortunate and questioned the authenticity of the statement attributed to the former president. Drawing on a quote from literary icon Wole Soyinka, Sylva remarked, “Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s statement is unfortunate. I sincerely hope he was misquoted. Let me quote our respected Wole Soyinka: ‘You can take the hippopotamus out of the swamp, but you cannot take the swamp out of the hippopotamus.'”
The APC candidate’s analogy suggests skepticism about the sincerity of Jonathan’s words, implying that the former president might still be influenced by his political roots.
The governorship election in Bayelsa State has been a subject of keen interest, with the PDP’s Diri securing victory. Sylva’s critique of Jonathan’s comments adds a new dimension to the post-election discourse, highlighting the complex dynamics and political sentiments surrounding the results.
As the political landscape continues to evolve, the aftermath of the Bayelsa election remains a focal point for analysis, with the reactions of key figures such as Timipre Sylva shaping the narrative in the wake of the polls.