Despite the biting fuel scarcity in Abuja, Lagos and major cities in Nigeria as well as shortage of Aviation fuel which almost pushed airline workers to embark on an industrial action, Minister of State, Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva on Monday pleasantly received a gift of a N100 million presidential nomination form of All Progressives Congress (APC) from his political supporters in Abuja.
The presentation was done at the headquarters of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), in the Nation’s capital by the leader of the group, Mohammed Abu Abaji.
An elated Sylva while thanking his supporters for their contributions said that he would immediately consult leaders of the Niger Delta region, especially Edwin Clark and other political stalwarts before taking a firm decision to contest or not.
Addressing the supporters at the gate of the NNPC Towers in Abuja, he described their kindness as a soothing shock to him.
He said: “I have tried since I was appointed to this office to do my best in the service of our country and today, you by yourself go through the trouble of obtaining the nomination and expression of interest forms for me is very humbling and very shocking.
“But I am very happy and pleased by this gesture. I will not give you a straight answer, but I am really thankful for what you have done. I need to consult with my constituency and leaders of this country and then, I will come back to you to let you know if I have taken the position to run for this office”.
He told the supporters while receiving the forms that he “will start right away to consult. I will go to my leader, the Ijaw leader, Clark, I will talk to him and I will also consult other leaders of the country.”
Speaking later with newsmen, the leader of the group, Mohammed Abu Abaji, said the group’s decision to purchase the forms was based on Sylva’s track record and his performance as a minister.
“It is our small support to push him towards participating in the APC primary. Everybody here contributed to buy the forms. We are the good people of Nigeria,” he said.
