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Tag: Dickson

  • Dickson to drive on new road today

    Dickson to drive on new road today

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson is set to give a unique Christmas gift to the people of Aleibiri, Ofoni, Ayamasa Angalabiri and other neighbouring communities on Sagbama-Ekeremor road.

    He will today drive in a convoy of small cars to Aleibiri, Ofoni, Ayamasa Angalabiri and other neighbouring communities on  Sagbama-Ekeremor road.

    During the ride to Ofoni community in October, he promised that he will drive in a convoy of small cars to Aleibiri in Ekeremor Local Government on December 25  to celebrate Christmas with members of the communities.

    Dickson said the visit to Aleibiri and neighbouring communities was in fulfilment of a promise he made  on October 14 that cars would be driven for the first time in over 40 years to Aleibiri in December.

    He broke a 40-year-old jinx on October 14 when he drove to Aleibiri and neighbouring communities in a convoy of Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs).

    The governor promised during the visit that his administration will ensure that smaller cars are driven to Aleibiri in December.

  • $1 billion approval in good faith, says Dickson

    $1 billion approval in good faith, says Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson gave yesterday unqualified support to the governors approval for the use of $1 billion from the Excess Crude Account to fight insecurity.

    To him, the decision was taken in good faith.

    Dickson said the controversies been generated on the matter are unnecessary.

    Speaking with State House reporters after meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Dickson said: “We have discussion with the Vice President on issues of national interest, issues of national concern, the details of which I won’t divulge for now.

    The issue of the money approved for security purpose by the National Economic Council was one of the issues we are discussing as governors and this was part of the issues I came to discuss with the Vice President who you know is the Chairman of the National Economic Council.

    “This was the initiative of the Governors Forum and this afternoon, the governors are meeting to fine tune how to move this matter further.

    I think that there is unnecessarily controversy in the media, but after the meeting this afternoon, some of us may have need to talk to the press and we may have need to talk to the President and Vice President on it.

    “These are issues of national security and I think we leaders must be circumspect in terms of creating controversies on issues of national security. Our duty is to collaborate within ourselves and the Federal Government.”

     

     

  • 2019: PDP needs Southwest to succeed, says Dickson

    2019: PDP needs Southwest to succeed, says Dickson

    CHAIRMAN of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Committee on Reconciliation and Bayelsa State Governor Henry Seriake Dickson has said the party needs the support of the Southwest to regain power in 2019.

    A statement by Special Adviser to the Governor on Media Relations Mr. Fidelis Soriwei said Dickson spoke yesterday in Lagos when he led the committee to former ex-Ogun State Governor Gbenga Daniel.

    Dickson, who hailed Daniel, a chairmanship aspirant in the December 9 national convention, said the PDP would need the support and wise counsel of Daniel and other leaders in the Southwest to succeed.

    He said: “We come with greetings from the leadership of the party that you consolidated, the party that you served as governor for eight years.

    “We are here to thank you and to remind you that you are still a pillar of our party, in your state, in the Southwest, and across Nigeria. The party is relying on your wise counsel.

    “You and your colleagues woke up our party when you went round the country to campaign. Our party, the PDP, is a viable political platform.

    “We are here to discuss issues that have arisen as a result of the convention. The party holds you, Ogun State, and the Southwest in high esteem. Moving forward, we rely on your support, guidance of leaders like you to succeed. We look forward to your active robust participation in the affairs of the PDP.”

    Daniel said it was too late for PDP leaders of his status to contemplate defection.

    He assured his guests that the PDP in the Southwest would ensure the success of the party in 2019.

    Daniel said: “From the bottom of my heart, I really want to thank you (Dickson) for your commendable efforts and for the strength of this powerful delegation; for you to have decided to leave whatever you were doing to embark on this mission of reconciliation, after the convention, even within a few days, is something quite commendable.

    “I want you to be rest assured that we will do everything humanly possible to make sure that our party, the PDP, succeeds. There is no doubt that there are issues. Of course, the issues are usually expected when you have this kind of struggle.

    “I also know that grievous mistakes have been made, and assumptions that ordinarily shouldn’t have happened, have happened. But we also are sufficiently experienced to appreciate that the struggle for power is not a tea party. Quite a number of people in the process play anyhow – whether fair or foul.

    “But I think the responsibility of our party and of leadership is what you have demonstrated. When we do have challenges, rather than sit back and brood over our challenges, you have stood up to do whatever is necessary to do what is expected.

    “I am not even so sure that the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC), has such capacity.

    “Most importantly, you can be assured that on my part, for eight years I flew the flag of the PDP and, of course, if you look at my forehead, the only thing you will see there is PDP.”

    The committee had visited former Oyo State Governor Rasheed Ladoja, who said the PDP had a great chance to recapture power in all states and even at the national level.

    He assured the committee that the Southwest would work in harmony for the party.

    Ladoja also said the Southwest had accepted the outcome of the convention.

  • PDP convention: Dickson warns on provocative comments

    PDP convention: Dickson warns on provocative comments

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has warned winners at the just concluded elective convention of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) and their supporters to stop further provocative comments on aggrieved chairmanship and other aspirants that lost out at the convention.

    Dickson’s warning is directed at some high profile party chieftains who have been launching verbal attacks and derisive comments in response to protests by some aggrieved chairmanship aspirants, particularly contestants from the Southwest geopolitical zone.

    He spoke with journalists in Abuja on Tuesday.

    Some of the aggrieved chairmanship aspirants including Chief Bode George, Prof Tunde Adeniran, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, Alhaji Rashidi Ladoja, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, and Prof Taoheed Adedoja who lost out, have been at the receiving end of verbal attacks from the camps of the winners.

    One of such instances was a statement credited to the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, who questioned the right of the aggrieved aspirants from the Southwest, saying the zone had contributed very little to the PDP.

    But Dickson, who chairs the party’s Reconciliation Committee, said such utterances could inflame passion and send the wrong signals to the aggrieved candidates.

    Read Also: PDP pacifies angry Southwest leaders

     

     

  • Dickson warns against manipulating PDP convention

    Dickson warns against manipulating PDP convention

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson at the weekend warned leaders and other members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against manipulating the outcome of the party’s national convention.

    The governor expressed concern that some party members were still stuck in the old way of doing things in the PDP, which he said would only jeopardise the chances of the party producing a credible presidential candidate in 2019.

    He insisted that Saturday’s convention must be credible, transparent and devoid of manipulation to help the PDP reclaim power from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019.

    Dickson said in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, that the leadership of the PDP had a responsibility to come up with a candidate from the northern part of the country to actualize the project to recapture power from the APC.

    The governor advised that the leadership of the PDP should not focus excessive attention on the national convention.

    Dickson, a former Chairman of the party’s National Reconciliation Committee, said it was important that the convention was viewed as a means to an end.

    The statement quoted  Dickson as speaking while playing host to the Chairman of DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, a contestant for the position of the party’s national chairman, at the Government House, Yenagoa.

  • Buhari, Osinbajo, Dickson, others eulogize Okorocha’s wife at 50

    Buhari, Osinbajo, Dickson, others eulogize Okorocha’s wife at 50

    RESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari, and his Vice, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, yesterday commended the wife of the Imo State governor, Nneoma Nkechi Okorocha for her love and concern for the less-privileged and downtrodden in the society. Buhari who was represented by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Mr. Mustapha Boss and the Vice President, gave the commendations at a colloquium and book presentation to mark the 50th birthday of the governor’s wife held at the Nick Banquet Hall, Government House, Owerri. In his speech, Boss said: “I was specifically called by President Buhari on two occasions to be in Owerri to honour you today.

    This shows that you occupy a very special place in the heart of the President. At 50, you have achieved much more than can be imagined especially through your SNARP project and just like the Levites in the Bible, you can now rest and enjoy God’s favours in your life.” Also speaking, Osinbajo said: “I have always been fascinated by the quality of Mrs. Okorocha’s philanthropy.

    There is a certain quality that is out of the ordinary just like her SNARP project which has changed the lives of many widows for better by providing them quality homes. Just today we commissioned the WODDI Wellness, and Diagnosis Centre which focuses on preventive approach to sickness especially in women and children.” He noted further that, “the facility is incredibly well equipped with highly qualified staff, including her own daughter. Her motivation is not just her kind heart but her understanding heart. You need a great heart to understand the devastating effects of poverty. Poverty is not all about not having money but it consists of other human deprivations and other forms of degradation. “Greatness does not come by positions or circumstances of birth.

    All the evidences we see in history is that greatness is bequeathed to only those who serve others selflessly. Just like Mother Theresa who held no position but became great by feeding the lepers just like you are feeding the indigent and poor women and children of our nation.” The wife of the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mrs. Gimbiya Yakubu Dogara, who represented the wife of the President, Hajia Aisha Buhari, described Mrs. Okorocha as “a dependable woman with a large heart, who delivers assignment of national interest with utmost patriotism,” adding that the celebrant has done a lot for the less-privileged.

    The chairman of the occasion and governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, stated: “This is the kind of thing we should emulate across the country, to celebrate ourselves irrespective of political differences. This is the first step towards achieving the unity we all desire. I urge well-meaning Nigerians to support the Imo First Lady.” Imo governor, Rochas Okorocha, in his speech, remarked that the wives of governors in attendance “have demonstrated unity more than us men.

    I recommend that we give more positions to women in government, only then can we achieve our desired goal of building a great and united nation. “Even when I quarrel with Governor Ayo Fayose or when Governor Nasir El Rufai abuses me, we still see their wives here bounded in love irrespective of political and cultural differences. This is our hope for a better Nigeria and this love of our wives is the pillar of our nation building.” Speaking, the celebrant said her joy was that God has given her the opportunity to touch lives and “to put smiles on the face of somebody who has forgotten how to smile.”

  • Convention will determine PDP ‘s fate, says Dickson

    Convention will determine PDP ‘s fate, says Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, yesterday, said the survival of the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP ) would depend largely on the outcome of its forthcoming December 9 convention in Abuja.

    Dickson, in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Francis Agbo, spoke when a PDP National Chairmanship aspirant, Chief Bode George, visited him in Government House, Yenagoa.

    The governor, however, expressed fears that the window of opportunity to reorganize the PDP to enable it confront the All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2019 was fast closing.

    He prayed that, the convention would be used to relaunch the party and regain the trust of Nigerians.

    He said: “I have taken certain positions in terms of what is right for the party, in terms of how best to conduct ourselves, and how fast we need to move away from the mindset of the old to new ways of conducting party business and affairs”.

    Dickson seized the opportunity to congratulate Chief George on his 72nd birthday and thanked him for offering to serve the party.

    He described George as a man with the capacity, experience and other requisite qualities to contest for the PDP National Chairmanship position.

    He noted that, the crisis that engulfed the PDP was needless and urged party leaders to be tolerant, patriotic and put aside their personal differences in the overall interest of the party and the country’s democracy.

    Dickson further called for understanding among the aspirants and prayed for the conduct of a peaceful, free, and credible convention.

    He said if well-conducted the outcome of the convention should be acceptable to all, stressing the need for all to work together to get the processes right.

    Earlier, George explained that, he was in the state to solicit the support of Governor Dickson, as well as the state’s delegates to the December 9 convention in Abuja.

    He said: “I am here because the PDP is heading very soon to elect new managers to pilot the affairs of our great party and we need an experienced, tested captain to take the ship of our party safely back to harbour”

    According to George, there was a need for the party to revisit the experiences of the past and study them with a view to avoiding the mistakes that led to the defeat of the PDP in the last general election.

    He also called on those who dumped the PDP to return to the party.

    “Those of our friends who have moved to other parties, now know they are tenants, let them come home and become landlords,” he said.

    The aspirant prayed God to continually bless the governor with strength and wisdom to pilot the affairs of the state and complete his numerous development programmes to better the lots of the people.

  • Dickson, Sylva clash over violence in Bayelsa

    Dickson, Sylva clash over violence in Bayelsa

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and former governor Timipre Sylva have disagreed over the alleged sponsorship of violence in the state.

    Three persons were injured in Brass Local Government Area at the weekend, when loyalists of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed.

    Dickson faulted a claim by Silva’s media office that he was hatching a plot to begin a campaign of calumny against the former governor. He described the allegation as a futile attempt to distract his government.

    The governor, in a statement by his media aide, Daniel Alabrah, said he is too busy with development to take issues with “politicians who failed Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation”.

    He asked Sylva to stop using President Muhammadu Buhari’s name to cover up his criminal activities.

    According to him, being a member of the APC does not give Sylva a licence to sponsor criminal activities to the detriment of peace and security in the state.

    He appealed to security agencies to perform their statutory responsibility, and not allow unscrupulous politicians take advantage of them.

    According to Dickson, Sylva should be concerned that Brass, his local government, had become a den of criminals; he threatened to invoke the law against anyone sabotaging security in the state.

    The statement reads: “The government will not hesitate to invoke the powers of the law against anybody found to have indulged in acts that consistently threaten the peace and security of the state.

    “This government has a mandate to execute on behalf of the people. We cannot be distracted by falsehood emanating from Sylva and his men.

    “Sylva should stop encouraging criminality in Bayelsa; he should support stability and development of his state. We have worked hard to address the insecurity and underdevelopment that Sylva left behind.”

    But Sylva has urged Dickson to face the business of governance rather than engage in a campaign of malicious defamation against him.

    Sylva, in a statement by his media adviser, Doifie Buokoribo, urged residents to discountenance any malicious defamation scheme against him.

    He advised Dickson to be imaginative and pay more attention to alleviating the people’s suffering, rather than taking them down the well-worn path of disparaging him to divert attention from his misrule.

    He said: “We wish to alert Nigerians to the plan by Dickson to launch a structured campaign of calumny against me.

    “We are not surprised, as this is in his character. We witnessed this irresponsible behaviour before, during and after the last governorship election, which he bought.

    “Dickson is living in fear, the fear of Sylva. The governor finds it difficult to come to terms with the fact that despite his shenanigans and schizoid propaganda to diminish me, my political profile continues to rise and rise and rise.

    “Also, Dickson’s paranoia is an attempt to destabilise Sylva’s home community of Brass Island. Already, Dickson has appointed a cretin as Caretaker Committee Chairman to do the dirty job. Last Thursday, this caretaker chairman shot two APC supporters with the help of mercenaries and thugs.

    “It did not end there; he declared a curfew on the Island, a place that has been peaceful.

    Clearly, these actions are meant to provoke me (Sylva). As a man of peace, I have had to restrain my supporters from seeking self-help.”

  • Dickson, Sylva clash over violence in Bayelsa

    Dickson, Sylva clash over violence in Bayelsa

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and a former governor of the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, on Sunday, engaged in verbal attacks over alleged sponsorship of violence in the  state.

    Three persons were injured in Brass Local Government Area of the state at the weekend following a bloody clash between loyalists of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    But Dickson faulted a claim by the Timipre Silva Media Office that he was hatching  a  plot to begin a campaign of calumny against Sylva, describing the allegation as a futile attempt to distract his government.

    The governor in a statement by his Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said he was too busy with issues of development to take issues with politicians who he said failed Bayelsa and the Ijaw nation.

    He asked Sylva to stop using the name of the President Muhammadu Buhari, to cover up his activities in Bayelsa.

    The governor said the fact  that Sylva is a member of APC should not give him a licence to sponsor activities to the detriment of peace and security in the state.

    He appealed to security agencies to perform their statutory responsibility and not to allow unscrupulous politicians to take advantage of them.

    He also urged the security agencies to ensure the security of lives and property in the state.

    Dickson asked Sylva to be concerned that Brass, his local government area, had become a den of criminals and warned that he would not hesitate to invoke the powers of the law against anybody found to be involved in acts harmful to the security of the state.

    The governor said that he was saddled with a duty to protect lives and property in Bayelsa, alleging that Sylva was only creating a false impression that he was a factor in Bayelsa politics which was untrue.

    The governor challenged Sylva to pay attention to his dwindling political reputation rather than peddle falsity to misinform people.

    Dickson said: “Sylva who sought to be governor twice and was twice was rejected by Bayelsans couldn’t have been pulled down by Dickson because he is already down.

    ” The government will not hesitate to invoke the powers of the law against anybody found to have indulged in acts that consistently threaten the peace and security of the state.

    “This is a government that has a mandate to execute on behalf of the Bayelsa people. We cannot afford to be distracted by falsehood emanating from Sylva and his men.

    “Sylva should stop encouraging criminality in Bayelsa; he should support stability and development of his state. We have worked hard to address the insecurity and underdevelopment that Sylva left behind.”

    Sylva on his part, urged Dickson to face the business of governance rather than engage in a campaign of malicious defamation against him.

    Sylva in a statement by his Media Adviser, Doifie Buokoribo, said that his attention had been drawn to an alleged  clandestine scheme by the government to make him a subject of calumny in the eyes of the public.

    The leader of the APC in the state, therefore, urged residents of Bayelsa State, in particular, and Nigerians, in general, to promptly discountenance and denounce any malicious defamation scheme.

    He advised Dickson to be more imaginative and pay more attention to alleviating the suffering of the people, rather than taking them down the well-worn path of disparaging him to try to divert attention from his alleged misrule.

    He said: “We wish to alert well-meaning Nigerians to the plan by Dickson to launch a structured campaign of calumny against me.

    “We are not surprised, as this is in the character of Dickson. We witnessed this irresponsible behaviour before, during and after the last governorship election in the state, which he bought.

    “Dickson is living in fear, the fear of Sylva. The governor finds it difficult to come to terms with the fact that despite his shenanigans and schizoid propaganda to diminish me, my political profile continues to rise and rise and rise.

    “Also, Dickson’s paranoia is the attempt to destabilise Sylva’s home community of Brass Island. Already, Dickson has appointed a cretin as Caretaker Committee Chairman of Brass Local Government Council to do the dirty job. Last Thursday, this local government caretaker chairman shot two APC supporters with the help of mercenaries and thugs.

    ”It did not end there. He went on to declare a curfew on the Island, a place that has been peaceful. Clearly, these actions are meant to provoke me (Sylva). As a man of peace, I have had to restrain his supporters from seeking self-help.”

  • Governors are facing difficulties times, says Dickson

    Governors are facing difficulties times, says Dickson

    Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has said that Governors in the country are presently passing through difficult and trying times.

    Dickson who spoke in Benin City at the thanksgiving service to mark Governor Godwin Obaseki’s one year in office said God’s intervention has been helping governors in the country to remain focus.

    He said he was in the state to show solidarity with Governor Obaseki according to him has done well in office.

    Dickson said he declared a special holiday in Bayelsa State to thank God because it was not easy to win elections, go through several litigations to remain in office and then face the hurdles of governance.

    “These are difficult times for governors. No one knows it better than those who have been there. We just have to keep focus because distractions and detractors are bound to be there.

    “It is our business to rely on God to keep focus on delivering good governance. We have to pray for governors and those at the helm of affairs in this country,” Dickson said.