From Seyi Tayese, Yenagoa
A Niger Delta stakeholder, Chief Anthony Oboghor has described the allegation of the involvement of former Bayelsa State G/governor, Chief Timipre Sylva and the Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku in a failed coup plot to overthrow President Bola Ahmed Tinubu as wicked, callous, malicious and unacceptable.
At a news conference held on Friday, 31st of October, 2025, in Yenagoa, the Bayelsa State capital, Chief Oboghor also slammed some media organisations for their unprofessional conduct in spreading the fake news about the two Niger Delta leaders.
He said though the military authorities had said there was no coup plot, there was a need for the military and the federal government to do due diligence in their investigation and also to unravel those behind the allegations in line with the relevant laws to act as a deterrent, as it was aimed at tarnishing the image and reputation of Chief Sylva and Dr Ogbuku.
The popular Bayelsa philanthropist commended the representatives of both men for quickly reacting to the allegations, saying the newspapers behind the malicious publication should retract them immediately or face either litigation for defarmation of character or an ombudsman for their unprofessional conduct.
According to him, the media is a key player and partner in the development of any society and when it fails in its constitutional responsibility as a watchdog of society, it erodes the achievements recorded so far by either government or individuals, thereby destroying citizens confidence.
Chief Oboghor, who is a certified chartered accountant, said accusations that the NDDC boss used funds from the interventionist agency to co-fund the alleged coup was not only false but targeted at destroying his achievements so far.
“This type of journalism is very alien to us in Nigeria and will never be allowed in this modern day. It is unacceptable to us, the people of the Niger Delta and Nigerians at large. They should retract the publications as it not only violates the ethics of journalism but our sensibilities as a people” he said.
He bemoaned the practice of not reaching out to those rumoured to be part of the alleged coup plot as a flagrant display of sensationalism to attract readers, instead of balancing their stories and quashing fake news.
Chief Oboghor enjoined the erring tabloids and their legal team to redeem their battered reputation by urgently complying with the demands of Dr Ogbuku to avoid litigation over the reckless and damaging report.
Similarly, he berated the newspaper organizations for the damaging allegations about Chief Sylva, the former Minister of State for Petroluem under the immediate past administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, saying news of the raid on his Abuja home by
operatives of the Defence Headquarters was not proof of his alleged complicity.
He said the reaction of Chief Sylva’s aide was apt and timely, while calling on the former Minister to also institute legal proceedings against the newspapers which published the false story.
“According to our former governor’s aide, Julius Bokoru, the former Minister of State for Petroluem and his amiable wife, are out of the country for medical purposes and the news of the coup allegation and raid on their home must have thrown their family into worry and heartbreak..And so we call for caution from the military authorities and those behind careless rhetoric”.
He said Chief Sylva’s record of public service as a democrat is intimidating and yet, highly commendable, having been elected into the Old Rivers State House of Assembly in the 1990s and later, governor of Bayelsa and Minister of State for Petroluem.
“Chief Sylva’s record brings so much joy to our hearts in Bayelsa and the Niger Delta region. As governor he performed well by expanding the frontiers of development through infrastructure development, road construction, capacity building, education scholarship for students in tertiary institutions among others”.
“Even as a federal minister, this Ijaw and Niger Delta icon led innovations in the Ministry of Petroluem under the Buhari administration, and succeeded to a large extent in stabilizing oil production. Such a man should not be dragged into wicked and malicious lies, all in a bid to defame him”.
Chief Oboghor also enjoined the people of Bayelsa, the home state of Chief Sylva and Dr Ogbuku, as well as Niger Deltans and Nigerians at large, to disregard the rumour of their involvement in the alleged coup plot, saying it was the handwork of politicians who want to destroy their reputation, achievements and political acceptance cum popularity due to their fear, jealousy and selfish interest.
