2023 Presidency: I’ve Not Resigned From My Position – Sylva

The Minister of State for Petroleum, and former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, has disclosed that he is yet to resign from his position.

Naija News reports that Sylva was among the ministers who declared their presidential ambition and purchased the N100 million expression of interest and nomination forms of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

Recall that President Muhammadu Buhari had directed ministers and heads of government agencies seeking elective offices to resign on or before Monday, May 16.

On Friday, the President met with the ministers with political ambition during a valedictory session organised at the Council Chamber of the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

However, some ministers have jettisoned their political ambitions and decided to remain in office before the expiration of the President’s ultimatum.

In a chat with Daily Trust over the weekend, the spokesman to the minister, Julius Bokoru, said his boss has not resigned from his position and has not vacated his office.

Bokoru added that the minister is still in charge of the Ministry of Petroleum and would make his resignation public if he intends to do so.

He, however, failed to confirm if the minister had withdrawn from the 2023 presidential race.

“Well, I cannot speak further on that for now,” he said.

Meanwhile, a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, has slammed some ministers who allegedly withdrew their resignation letters in order to remain members of the cabinet.

Some of the ministers who made a u-turn include the Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige; Minister of Women Affairs, Pauline Tallen; Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Federation, Abubakar Malami.

Falana had said, “The resignation of any person from any office established by this constitution shall take effect when the writing signifying the resignation is received by the authority or person to whom it is addressed or by any person authorised by that authority or person to receive it.

“Since the resignation of the former ministers has taken effect, they cannot return to the cabinet either of their own volition or on the directive of the President.”