Influential APC Chieftain Reacts as Buhari’s Ex-Minister Announces Resignation from Ruling Party
- Former APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena responded to Timipre Sylva's resignation from the ruling party
- Nabena claimed about 90 per cent of Bayelsa APC members and stakeholders have resolved to remain in the party
- Sylva, a former Bayelsa governor and minister, quit the APC on August 31, 2026, citing a betrayal of the party's founding ideals
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Former APC Deputy National Publicity Secretary Yekini Nabena has insisted the All Progressives Congress remains a solid force in Bayelsa State, pushing back against concerns that the exit of former Petroleum Minister Chief Timipre Sylva could weaken the party ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Nabena made the remarks in a signed statement released to journalists in Abuja on Wednesday, September 2, saying he spoke on behalf of roughly 90 per cent of Bayelsa APC members and party stakeholders.
Source: Twitter
Sylva's Exit From the APC
Sylva, a former governor of Bayelsa State, announced on Monday that he had resigned from the APC through a letter dated August 31, 2026.
He alleged that the party had strayed far from the principles on which it was founded, saying its leaders had adopted a posture that "all is fair in politics."
In a statement sighted by Legit.ng, Nabena acknowledged the weight of the decision, noting that Sylva had been instrumental in building the party.
"As one who joined others to build the APC with sweat and resources, your decision after wide consultation with family, associates and supporters is a painful but principled one," he said, directing his words at the former governor.
APC Bigger Than Any One Man, Says Nabena
Despite the departure, Nabena said the party structure in Bayelsa remained intact and that those who stayed behind were committed to delivering President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's re-election bid in the state, as well as all other APC candidates in coming elections.
"We can not abandon our people in the APC and jump the ship. We will not abandon the ship for nowhere because the problem facing the country is not about the political parties but leadership problems," Nabena said in the statement.
He added that politicians are "not manufactured anywhere but recycled," and that the remaining members would concentrate on building on the structures already in place across the state.
Nabena also credited Sylva for his contributions to the party over the years, saying the former governor would remain an important figure in Bayelsa beyond the realm of politics.
He said the APC in Bayelsa had grown into a formidable institution that could not be defined by any single individual's membership or exit.
EFCC declares Timipre Sylvia wanted
Previously, Legit.ng reported that The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission told former Bayelsa State Governor Timipre Sylva to present himself for questioning, hours after he publicly accused the anti-graft agency of doing the bidding of the ruling All Progressives Congress.
EFCC spokesman Dele Oyewale issued the short but direct response on Monday, August 31, 2026, after Sylva announced his resignation from the APC and copied the commission in his resignation letter.
Source: Legit.ng
