The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has summoned former Bayelsa State Governor and ex-Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Timipre Sylva, for questioning over an alleged $14.86 million fraud case.
The development followed Sylva’s resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), in which he accused the EFCC of acting more like a political arm of the ruling party than an independent anti-corruption agency.
EFCC spokesperson Dele Oyewale, however, dismissed the allegation and urged the former governor to appear before the commission.
“He has been declared wanted; he should make himself available to the commission.”
The EFCC had reportedly declared Sylva wanted in November 2025 over allegations of conspiracy and dishonest conversion involving approximately $14.86 million. Investigators reportedly identified him as an alleged principal financier of the transaction and alleged that about N785 million was contributed through Abuja-based Purple Waves Limited.
Sylva Accuses APC, Tinubu Government
In his resignation letter, Sylva accused the APC of abandoning the principles on which it was founded and criticised the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
The former governor said he could no longer remain in a party whose leadership, in his view, had sacrificed basic principles of decency and morality for political interests.
He also alleged that the EFCC had become closely aligned with the ruling party.
EFCC Demands His Appearance
The commission has not engaged extensively with Sylva’s political accusations but has maintained that he should present himself to investigators.
The latest development places Sylva at the centre of both a political showdown with the APC and an ongoing EFCC investigation.
For now, the allegations against the former governor remain unproven, and any determination of criminal liability will depend on the outcome of due process and the courts.
