'You can’t take swamp out of hippopotamus' - Sylva blasts Jonathan over comment on Bayelsa Guber Poll Read more: https://www.legit.ng/politics/1564455-t-swamp-hippopotamus-sylva-blasts-jonathan-comment-bayelsa-guber-poll/

The governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa state, Timipre Slyva, has lashed out at former president, Goodluck Jonathan over his comment regarding the outcome of the November 11 off-cycle election.

Sylva described Jonathan’s statement that he would have relocated his mother to Abuja had Governor Duoye Diri lost to the APC candidate as unfortunate.

The former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, however, said he wants to believe Jonathan was misquoted.

Reacting to Jonathan’s comment via his X page (formerly known as Twitter) @HETimipreSylva, he wrote:

“Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s statement is unfortunate. I sincerely hope he was misquoted. Let me just quote our respected Wole Soyinka: “You can take the hippopotamus out of the swamp but you cannot take the swamp out of the hippopotamus”.

Earlier, It was reported that Jonathan revealed what he would have done had Governor Diri of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) lost to Slyva.

The former president said he would have relocated his mother from Otueke, his hometown to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.

He said Diri’s re-election means that Bayelsa state would be a lot safer because the governor has been tackling insecurity.

Former President Goodluck Jonathan’s statement is unfortunate. I sincerely hope he was misquoted. Let me just quote our respected Wole Soyinka: “you can take the hippopotamus out of the swamp but you cannot take the swamp out of the hippopotamus”. pic.twitter.com/bncDNVIgLK

— H.E. Chief Timipre Sylva (@HETimipreSylva) November 18, 2023