Timipre Sylva quits APC, calling the party irredeemable and accusing the Tinubu administration of disappointing Nigerians ahead of 2027
Former Bayelsa State Governor and former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, resigned from the All Progressives Congress on Monday, August 31, 2026, accusing the ruling party of abandoning its founding ideals and describing its current direction as “irredeemable”.
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Sylva announced his resignation in a letter addressed to the APC chairman of Ward 4 in Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State, with copies sent to the party’s national chairman, the APC chairman in Bayelsa State and the Executive Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
The former minister said he reached the decision after consulting his family, associates, colleagues and supporters.
As a founding member of the APC, Sylva said the decision was particularly difficult because he had contributed to building the party and believed in the principles that initially brought its members together.
“Having consulted widely with my family, associates, colleagues and sympathisers, I wish to formally tender my resignation from the All Progressives Congress (APC), with immediate effect,” he wrote.
Sylva expressed disappointment at what he described as a dramatic departure from the ideals that once defined the party.
“Moreover, I cannot, in all good conscience, continue to belong to a party whose leaders believe that ‘all is fair in politics’; and have consistently demonstrated that belief in practice,” he stated.
He also turned his criticism towards the administration of President Bola Tinubu, arguing that the government had failed to meet the expectations of most Nigerians.
“The present Government, formed under the banner of the APC we once loved, has disappointed the vast majority of Nigerians,” Sylva said.
The former governor added that he saw neither a credible effort nor a realistic prospect of correcting what he regarded as the administration’s shortcomings.
In one of the strongest passages of his resignation letter, Sylva described the APC as a “floundering ship” and suggested that Nigerians could use the 2027 elections to change the country’s political direction.
“I am therefore left with no other choice than to jettison a floundering ship whose fate appears to have been sealed by its irredeemable load of iniquities,” he wrote.
Sylva said he expected voters to prioritise the country’s interests when they go to the polls in 2027.
“I have no doubt that, in the coming election, Nigerians will vote for Nigeria and free the Country from this stranglehold on our beautiful country,” he added.
His resignation also carries an unusual dimension because Sylva deliberately copied the EFCC into the letter.
The former minister acknowledged that the decision could expose him to increased scrutiny by the anti-graft agency, but said he was prepared to accept that possibility.
“I am fully aware that this action of mine may invite a redoubled witch-hunt against me and my associates, but that is a risk I am willing to take,” he said.
The development comes against the backdrop of allegations linking Sylva to an alleged plot to overthrow the Tinubu administration.
The Federal Government previously named Sylva in connection with investigations into an alleged coup plot uncovered in 2025.
Sylva has repeatedly denied involvement and rejected the allegations as false.
The allegations followed a military operation at his Abuja residence in October 2025.
Sylva confirmed that soldiers from Defence Headquarters searched the property but denied any involvement in an attempt to overthrow the government.
In April 2026, six defendants were arraigned before the Federal High Court in Abuja over allegations including treason, terrorism and money laundering in connection with the wider case.
Sylva was named in reports surrounding the investigation but has continued to deny wrongdoing.
Further reports in August 2026 alleged that Sylva was linked to financing the purported plot. Those allegations remain disputed, with Sylva denying involvement.
His departure from the APC now adds another layer to the political realignments taking shape ahead of the 2027 general elections.
For the ruling party, the resignation removes a prominent former governor and former federal minister who was involved in the APC from its formative years.
For Sylva, the decision represents a sharp break with a political platform he once helped build.
The immediate question is where the former governor will direct his political support next, particularly as opposition parties continue efforts to consolidate their strength ahead of the 2027 contest.
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For now, Sylva has made his position clear: he no longer believes the APC can deliver the political change he says Nigerians need.
