Timipre Sylva
Encyclopedia
Timipre Sylva is the Governor of Bayelsa State
in southern Nigeria
.
, Bayelsa (formerly Rivers State
, of which Bayelsa State was split off from in 1996), and was educated there and in Lagos
, the former capital of Nigeria. He was a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly
in the 1990s.
Sylva won the Bayelsan gubernatorial election on May 29, 2007 and succeeded Goodluck Jonathan
who went on to the position of Vice President
. During his inauguration he said that Bayelsa was "the least developed industrially and commercially" of all 36 states
.
Sylva's opponent in the 2007 election, Ebitimi Amgbare of the Action Congress
, legally challenged his victory. Although the Bayelsa State Election Petitions Tribunal upheld Sylva's election, Amgbare took the matter to the Appeal Court in Port Harcourt which overturned the Tribunal's decision and nullified Sylva's election on April 15, 2008. The Appeal Court's five justices were unanimous in their decision and ordered that Speaker Werinipre Seibarugo
be sworn in to replace Sylva as acting Governor, with a new election to be held within three months.
A new election was held on May 24, 2008, and Sylva, again running as the PDP
candidate, was overwhelmingly elected with 588,204 out of about 598,000 votes. He was sworn in again on May 27, saying on this occasion that he would form a broadly inclusive unity government.
Bayelsa State
Bayelsa State is a state in southern Nigeria in the core Niger Delta region, between Delta State and Rivers State. Its capital is Yenagoa. The language spoken here is Ijaw language and dialects of the Ijaw language such as Nembe, Atissa, Akassa, Ogbia, etc. However, like the rest of Nigeria,...
in southern Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
Early life and background
Sylva was born in BrassBrass, Nigeria
Brass is a Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Twon-Brass on the coast. It has a coastline of approximately 90 km on the Bight of Bonny. Much of the area of the LGA is occupied by the Edumanom National Forest....
, Bayelsa (formerly Rivers State
Rivers State
Rivers State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria. Its capital is Port Harcourt. It is bounded on the South by the Atlantic Ocean, to the North by Imo, Abia and Anambra States, to the East by Akwa Ibom State and to the West by Bayelsa and Delta states...
, of which Bayelsa State was split off from in 1996), and was educated there and in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
, the former capital of Nigeria. He was a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly
Rivers State House of Assembly
Rivers State House of Assembly is the state legislature of Rivers State. Current governor Rotimi Amaechi served as speaker of the assembly from 1997 to 2007.-External links:* *...
in the 1990s.
Political career
As a candidate of the People's Democratic PartyPeople's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
Sylva won the Bayelsan gubernatorial election on May 29, 2007 and succeeded Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Jonathan
Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, GCFR, BNER, GCON is the 14th Head of State and current President of Nigeria.He was Governor of Bayelsa State from 9 December 2005 to 28 May 2007, and was sworn in as Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria on 29 May 2007. Jonathan is a member of the...
who went on to the position of Vice President
Vice President of Nigeria
The Vice President of Nigeria is the second-in-command to the President of Nigeria in the Government of Nigeria. Officially styled Vice President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.The Vice President is elected alongside the President in national elections...
. During his inauguration he said that Bayelsa was "the least developed industrially and commercially" of all 36 states
States of Nigeria
Nigeria is currently divided into 36 states and Abuja, the federal capital territory. The states are further divided into 774 Local Government Areas....
.
Sylva's opponent in the 2007 election, Ebitimi Amgbare of the Action Congress
Action Congress
The Action Congress of Nigeria , formerly known as Action Congress , is a classical liberal Nigerian political party formed via the merger of the Alliance for Democracy, the Justice Party, the Advance Congress of Democrats, and several other minor political parties in September 2006. The party...
, legally challenged his victory. Although the Bayelsa State Election Petitions Tribunal upheld Sylva's election, Amgbare took the matter to the Appeal Court in Port Harcourt which overturned the Tribunal's decision and nullified Sylva's election on April 15, 2008. The Appeal Court's five justices were unanimous in their decision and ordered that Speaker Werinipre Seibarugo
Werinipre Seibarugo
Werinipre Seibarugo is a People's Democratic Party politician who was appointed acting Governor of Bayelsa State in southern Nigeria from 16 April 2008 to 27 May 2008....
be sworn in to replace Sylva as acting Governor, with a new election to be held within three months.
A new election was held on May 24, 2008, and Sylva, again running as the PDP
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
candidate, was overwhelmingly elected with 588,204 out of about 598,000 votes. He was sworn in again on May 27, saying on this occasion that he would form a broadly inclusive unity government.