Supporters of the Minister of State Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, Monday purchased the N100 million nominations and expression of interest forms for him.
Accepting the forms, Sylva said that he would consult leaders of the oil rich Niger Delta region including Chief Edwin Clark and other political allies before deciding if he would run for the office of the President under the umbrella of the All Progressive Congress, APC.
Chief Sylva who stated this while addressing a large crowd of supporters at the gate of the NNPC Towers in Abuja described their kindness as shocking 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, Sir E.K Clark, I will talk to him and I will also consult other leaders of the country”.
Speaking later to journalists, the leader of the group, Alhaji Mohammed Abu Abaji said the group’s decision to purchase the forms was based on Chief Sylva’s track record and his performance as a Minister.
“It is our small support to push him towards participating in the APC primaries. Everybody here contributed to buy the forms. We are the good people of Nigeria”, he added.
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