Sylva disowns protest at Justice Odili’s residence, fingers Gov Wike

The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, on Thursday denied having any hand in the protests that took place at the Port Harcourt and Abuja residences of former Governor Peter Odilli and his wife, Justice Mary Odilli.

Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike had accused the former Bayelsa State governor and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Adams Oshiomhole of being responsible for the protests that came as a fallout to the judgment of the Supreme Court that sacked David Lyon of the APC as the winner of the November 16, 2019 governorship election in Bayelsa State.

Justice Odilli led the panel of justices of the Supreme Court that sat on the appeal brought by the PDP and its candidate, who is now the state governor, Duoye Diri.

Sylva, in a statement on Thursday, insisted that there was no truth in Wike’s claim, stressing that he had always held the Odilis in high esteem.

Read also: Bayelsa governor appoints SSG, Chief of Staff

According to Sylva, the protest might have been organised by those working for Wike in order to pit him and Oshiomhole against the Supreme Court.

“There is no truth in that strange claim. Governor Wike should know in what high esteem I hold Governor Peter and Justice (Mrs) Odili whom I have known and worked with long before Governor Wike came into the picture.

“I hope Governor Wike or those working with him have not organised this protest with the intention of hanging it on our neck to incense the Supreme Court towards us, knowing that we intend to approach the Supreme Court again.

“On the issue of securing Governor Peter and Justice (Mrs) Mary Odili, I have this to say: Governor Wike as Governor of Rivers State has the duty to protect all Rivers people, including the Odilis. I hope he has lived up to this duty creditably”, Sylva said.

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