Will there ever be a time when gubernatorial elections can be held without people pointing their hands at their rivals' noses and cursing them until they are satisfied? Certainly yes. But that time is not now, and so Timipre Sylva is not at all reserved as he attempts to push Governor Douye Diri out of the Bayelsa governorship seat this year.

The Bayelsa governorship election 2023 is set to hold around November. Preparations are already underway to ensure that the election swings favourably to the side of whoever is thinking about it. For Sylva, the election must not only be won, but it has to be such a victory that Governor Diri will not know where to keep his face. But will things go as Sylva wishes? Only time will tell.

What is obvious to all and sundry right now is that Sylva has managed to secure the governorship ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the just-concluded gubernatorial primaries for the party in Bayelsa. This happened a few days ago and likely brought tears to the Minister of Petroleum Resources (State) because of the unshaken trust of the APC delegates in him.

Gaining victory over a rival that has already tasted the object of the contest is never easy. Moreover, Diri has not been sleeping since the last election. Instead, the man has contributed a great deal to the growth and development of Bayelsa. This is particularly the case for youth development and sports, areas for which Diri has always shown a soft spot.

So, Diri in his Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) booth is almost assured of victory. But so is Sylva. Time will tell who will eventually lead the state in November.