By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Minister of State for Petroleum in Nigeria, Chief Timipre Sylva has resigned his appointment to seek the governorship position of Bayelsa State.
He worked under President Muhammadu Buhari who doubles as the Minister of Petroleum Resources since 2019 upon resumption of the president’s second term.
Mr Sylva tendered his resignation letter to President last week but the details of the resignation were kept private until now, a Reuters report says late Thursday.
Mr Sylva, 58, was Bayelsa Governor from 2008 to 2012, when he failed to win reelection.
He now seeks the APC’s ticket in Bayelsa to govern the oil-rich state for another term of four years. The election will hold on November 11, 2023.
Opposition figures have criticized him for not dealing with lingering oil scarcity in the West African country which has also affected the economy.
Cost of petroleum products had been on the increase since Buhari took over government in 2015.
Pegged at 65 Naira in 2015 per litre, it now goes as high as 185 Naira across the country.
