Defectors need psychiatric test, says Sylva

Timipre Sylva, former governor of Bayelsa state, says those defecting from one party to the other need “psychiatric evaluation.”

Sylva said this on Thursday while reacting to rumours that he has moved from the All Progressives Congress (APC) to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

In a statement issued by Julius Bokoru, his spokesman, the ex-governor blamed the report on the PDP-led administration in the state.

Sylva was elected as governor under the PDP but later defected to APC where he lost another governorship bid in 2016.

He said he remains “firmly” in the APC and urged those behind the rumour to “wake up”.

“While ordinarily such rumours are laughable at best and preposterous at worst, Governor Sylva wishes to state (for the sake of his surporters) that he remains firmly a member and chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, a party he pioneered in Bayelsa state and a party he believes is steering the country out of the shackles of mediocrity and under-development,” the statement read.

“Sylva is at loss what purpose this baseless rumour is meant to serve. But you cannot put anything past the demented PDP government in Bayelsa state.

“Chief Timipre Sylva finds a correlation between impulsive defections and mental instability, and so, considers those flirting from party to party as people needing psychiatric evaluation.

“While this fabricated rumour may be evidence that some members of the PDP dream of having someone of his fine qualities within their ranks, Chief Timipre Sylva hopes that stating his unwavering commitment to the APC will cause those hallucinating about his imaginary defection to wake up.”