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Former Governor Sylva, Standing Trial Over Money Laundering Charges Heads Buhari’s Team

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by Deji Abiodun

The Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Timipre Sylva, will represent the incoming administration of Muhammadu Buhari in the inauguration committee to usher in the new government on May 29.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) has formally instituted criminal charges against former governor of Bayelsa state, Timipre Sylva, for laundering close to N5 billion of funds belonging to Bayelsa state.

He will co-chair the committee with Anyim Pius Anyim, secretary to the government of the federation, who is representing the President Goodluck Jonathan administration.

Sylva who succeeded Jonathan as governor of Bayelsa State in 2007 is currently standing trial over allegations of corruption.

He is widely reported as a major financier of the Muhammadu Buhari campaign, and a leading APC member in Bayelsa who funded the purchase of Buhari’s Presidential form.

Buhari widely feared for his anti-corruption has now made the former governor to head his inauguration committee, a move a political analyst tells NewsWireNGR questions Nigeria’s President-elect commitment to the war against corruption.

Felix Nwankwo,”I have heard that Sylva is heading the President’s-elect team, it goes to tell the fears we’ve always had, how Buhari seeks to fight corruption will men like that backing him will be tough.”

“Most of those that have defected to the APC are doing so for fear of Prosecution and the first ever appointment by Buhari is electing a man with questions to answer while he governed his state”? Nwwankwo stated.

Sylva defected from the PDP and was one of the founding leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC), but his party chairmanship bid last year was stalled partly because of his trial by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

On Thursday, the presidential inauguration planning committee announced a one-week programme of activities leading to the inauguration of Buhari.

At a joint press briefing by Anyim and Sylva, they revealed that the week-long programme will include Jumaat prayers, inter-denominational ?church service, inauguration dinner, ?swearing-in ceremony?, lunch immediately after the swearing-in and a gala night? on May 29.

Anyim said ?there are two parallel committees: the transition committee and inauguration committee.

Photo Credit: News Agency Of Nigeria

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