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Sylva’s Campaign Aide Israel Sunny-Goli Threatens To Kill APC Deputy Spokesman Timi Frank

November 3, 2015

SaharaReporters has learned that the Deputy Spokesman for the All Progressives Congress (APC), Timi Frank, has received death threats from members of APC gubernatorial candidate in Bayelsa State Timipre Sylva’s campaign. The source of tension is because the APC spokesman has refused to join Mr. Sylva’s campaign for governor in Bayelsa State.

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SaharaReporters obtained text messages sent by Israel Sunny-Goli, a top aide to Mr. Sylva, to Timi Frank showing his outrage and disgust toward him. Mr. Sunny-Goli had previously placed Mr. Frank’s name in the campaign without his knowledge, leading to a quarrel between the two.

The text from Israel Sunny-Goli said: “U are an idiot.I can’t watch u insult my boss for any reason.You can’t have somebody like Sylva in your entire family. You look like a beast.”

Timi Frank also spoke directly with a SaharaReporters correspondent and said that Mr. Sunny-Goli threatened to kill him during a phone call. 

Mr. Frank told our correspondent that “[Israel Sunny-Goli] told me that if I were a man then I would come to Bayelsa [saying critical things]. He said that when the time comes, they know my house in Abuja and then I will be dealt with.”

SaharaReporters also contacted Mr. Sunny-Goli to ask him about his threats and messages, but he repeatedly hung up on our correspondent. He eventually denied threatening to kill Mr. Frank saying, “he is my good friend, and I am a good Christian, why would I do that?”

Timipre Sylva and his aides have had a history of using violence. 

During the APC primary elections in Bayelsa State, Sylva’s supporters menacingly surrounded the electoral committee chairperson, Governor Adams Oshiomhole, placing his life in danger before he was rescued by Nigerian troops.