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  • Dickson’s convoy attacked, says campaign organisation

    Dickson’s convoy attacked, says campaign organisation

    •’Governor ordered supporters to attack APC members’

    Hoodlums yesterday attacked the campaign train of Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson at Swali Market in Yenagoa.

    The incident would have degenerated into a brawl, but for the intervention of security aides attached to the governor’s convoy.

    Describing the attack as barbaric and undemocratic, the Director of Publicity, Restoration Campaign Organisation (RCO), Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, alleged that the incident showed that “the All Progressives Congress (APC) is a violent party.”

    The statement reads: “The APC in Bayelsa State is not prepared for election. It is prepared for war, but as a disciplined party, as a peaceful party and with a governor like Dickson, who came to restore peace, we advise our supporters not to allow themselves to be provoked by the APC and its violence. We must preach peace and maintain law and order because we are a peaceful people.”

    The RCO has described as deceitful, the campaign strategy adopted by the APC.

    It advised the party to look for other sane and more dignifying means of campaigning.

    The organisation urged Bayelsans and other residents to be wary of the antics of the APC members “who are desperate to grab power through the backdoor by using dubious means.”

    A statement by Mr.  Obuebite was reacting to the flash sanitation carried out by the APC, which, it said, “has now confirmed to everyone the earlier assertion that APC is indeed the so-called change party that is responsible for the heap of refuse around the state, particularly in Yenagoa.”

    Obuebite described as embarrassing, such cruel campaign strategy of the APC, saying: “They decided to carry out the show of shame on a day set aside by the state sanitation authority for evacuation.”

    He enjoined the APC and its candidate, Timipre Sylva, to look for other sane and more dignifying means of campaigning, “as this latest style will not secure for him, the votes required for victory.”

    Obuebite said Governor Dickson was committed to good governance and ensuring a cleaner and healthy environment.

    The Director, Media and Publicity, Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO), Chief Nathan Egba, alleged that Dickson directed his supporters to attack APC women and youths, who were on a rescue mission to evacuate refuse at dump sites in Yenagoa.

    He said PDP’s statement was childish and diversionary.

    Said Egba: “Everybody in Yenagoa knows that APC women came out since 7am today, clearing the refuse the Dickson administration has ignored for days.

    “Swali dump site was one of the places the women went to. PDP members only went there to disrupt the exercise.

    “They attacked our members and burnt one of the trucks APC hired to carry refuse to the dump site at Tombia.

    “The APC campaign organisation received information that another set of women and youths were attacked at Amarata while clearing refuse. The windscreens of the trucks were smashed and vehicles were damaged by the rampaging PDP members.”

  • Dickson woos Christian community with N100m loans

    Dickson woos Christian community with N100m loans

    Ahead of the December 5 governorship election in Bayelsa State, Governor Seriake Dickson has doled out N100 million soft loans to Christian cooperative societies.

    He reassured workers of his commitment to pay their salaries despite receiving only N4 billion as revenue accruing to the state from the Federation Accounts Allocation Committee (FAAC) last month.

    A statement at the weekend by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the governor lamented the harsh economic realities facing the state and the country.

    Dickson, however, assured the people that government would begin payment of salaries this week.

    The governor was said to have presented the cheques to the cooperatives at an interactive meeting with Christian leaders in Yenagoa.

    He said the gesture was in fulfilment of an earlier promise to extend his administration’s poverty alleviation and economic empowerment programme to churches.

    Dickson urged beneficiaries of the scheme to make judicious use of the revolving funds for the benefit of Bayelsans.

    Some of the benefiting cooperatives are Bayelsa Indigenous Ministers Fellowship Micro Project Cooperative Society (MPCS), N3 million; Gold Chain MPCS, N3.5million; Salvation Elders Farmers Cooperative Society Limited, N3 million; ECWA Family MPCS, N3.5 million and Women Wing of the Christian Association of Nigeria (WOWICAN), Agricultural Cooperation Society, N3.5 million.

  • Dickson squandered N88b loans, says APC

    Dickson squandered N88b loans, says APC

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bayelsa State yesterday gave details of some of the loans allegedly obtained by Governor Seriake Dickson.

    It said he should account for the N88 billion loans.

    The Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO), the campaign outfit of the APC governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva and his running mate, Chief Wilberforce Igiri, said although Dickson claimed to be frugal, he incurred huge debts.

    Speaking at a news conference at the SICO campaign office in Yenagoa, the organisation’s Director of Media and Publicity, Chief Nathan Egba, listed some of the loans allegedly obtained by Dickson as N45 billion for airport project, N25 billion to complete projects and N16 billion (60 million Euros) from Poland for the Maritime Academy at Okpoama.

    He said the governor obtained N2.1 billion to pay outstanding salaries of local government workers, alleging that Dickson was planning to obtain more loans at the twilight of his administration.

    On the N45 billion loan for the airport project, Egba alleged that Dickson tampered with the original terms of contract for the facility to enable him draw down on the loan to begin his campaign.

    “Dickson, who claims to be a frugal man that believes in financial discipline, committed Bayelsa State to N45 billion for the airport project on the condition that the contractor will draw down on the presentation of milestone certificate.

    “However, as everybody in Bayelsa knows, not only has the project come to a halt, the site has been overwhelmed by flood. Consequently, there cannot be a millstone certificate to be presented for the contractor to draw from the loan, to enable outgoing Governor Dickson and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), fund their election expenses,” he said.

    The SICO’s director of Media and Publicity alleged that the governor and his team arranged with the contractor to alter the terms of the contract, removing the milestone certificate clause to give them access to the loans.

    He added: “This is with the claims that they want to pay the contractors, but such money will now be used to start their campaign, which has been moribund, following lack of funds, caused by the inability of the governor to manage the state’s finances.

    “The APC in Bayelsa is aware of what they are doing and is tracking the fraud step by step. We shall furnish the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies with information at our disposal if they continued this transaction.”

    Egba said the people were eager to know what Dickson did with the other loans.

    He alleged that despite the 60 million Euros the governor obtained from Poland for the Okpoama Maritime Academy project, his administration only managed to erect a signpost in front of the project site.

    “So much for a government that claims it has come to restore the state to some imaginary glory, whereas, indeed, it is a huge scam,” Egba said.

    He alleged that the governor had instructed his foot soldiers to produce 50 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in each ward and urged the people to be vigilant.

    Advising the people to protect their PVCs, Egba alleged that it was not clear whether the PDP was planning to clone PVCs to rig the election.

    Said he: “Our principal, Chief Timipre Sylva, is on a rescue mission to wipe the tears of the people, following the poverty inflicted on them by the Restoration Government. Dickson claimed no commissioner in his executive council can boast to be a millionaire. What a wicked statement from a leader.

    “This is why more people are leaving his ship and joining us. We enjoin others, who have been reaching out to APC leaders concerning their desire to defect, to take the bold step by joining the change train in Bayelsa.”

    Reacting to the allegations, the Chairman, Bayelsa State Media Team, Mr. Esueme Kikile, said APC was founded on propaganda.

    He described the allegations “as very wild and unfounded.”

  • Monarchs adopt Dickson

    Monarchs adopt Dickson

    Traditional rulers in Epie kingdom yesterday hailed Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson for transforming Yenagoa in less than four years.

    They assured him of their support in his re-election bid.

    Leading other monarchs and members of the council of chiefs to receive the governor, who was on a visit, the Obenibe of Epie Kingdom, King Malla Sasime, said despite the dwindling allocation from the federation account, Dickson had impacted on the people.

    The traditional rulers said the governor deserved re-election, considering his developmental projects.

    The present administration has, in the last three and a half years, embarked on developmental projects worth over N100 billion.

    They include a flyover, a world-class diagnostic centre, a micro-finance bank, a multi-court door hall, the late Prof. Dora Akunyuli Drug Mart, Igbogene/AIT Bypass, traditional rulers’ council secretariat and a driving school.

    Others are a cultural boulevard, a police officers’ mess, the Road Safety/Hospital Junction Ring Road, to mention a few.

    Assuring the people of his readiness to do more if re-elected, Dickson described the investments as historical. He solicited the support of Epie people in the realisation of his second term bid.

  • Dickson seeks N12.5b loan for poll, APC alleges

    Dickson seeks N12.5b loan for poll, APC alleges

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have been accused of shopping for N12.5 billion loan to prosecute the December 5 governorship election.

    The Sylva/Igiri Campaign Organisation (SICO), the electioneering outfit of the All Progressives Congress’ (APC’s) governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva and his running mate, Chief Wilberforce Igiri, made the allegation in Yenagoa yesterday.

    SICO, in a statement by its Publicity Secretary, Chief Nathan Egba, alerted the people and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to the loan deal.

    He said Dickson was planning to mortgage the state and plunge it into indebtedness by obtaining the  loan.

    Egba said: “Information available to the APC in Bayelsa State indicates that the leadership of the House of Assembly is expected to cajole lawmakers to sign documents requesting the two loans.

    “One of the loans is said to be to the value of N2.5 billion and the other is for N10 billion. APC’s investigation shows that the House leadership will tell members that part of the loan, which is to be sourced through the Assembly, will be used to pay members’ outstanding allowances and buy new cars.

    “Members will be informed that the second loan of N10 billion will be used to fund constituency projects, whereas in truth, this money is expected to be used for campaign and election expenses.”

    He said realising that he would lose the election, Dickson refused to release the money in his possession for the poll.

    “Instead, he has been shopping for funds from individuals and organisations, most of whom have turned him down, resulting in his bid to use the Assembly to raise the funds.

    “The APC hereby calls on the EFCC, the DSS and other security agencies to help Bayelsa people track this secret transaction, in order to stop the PDP from obtaining these fraudulent loans.

    “We advise financial institutions not to assist the PDP in defrauding Bayelsa, as the incoming APC administration will not honour such bogus transaction, which was not even presented on the floor of the House.”

    But Governor Dickson denied the allegation in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson.

    He said the purported claim of fresh loan was misplaced and a mischief on the part of the opposition party.

    According to him, rather than looking for a new loan, the government was drawing from an existing loan facility that had been approved for the airport project, which, he said, was at 60 per cent level of completion.

    Iworiso-Markson said it was unfortunate that the Sylva campaign was raising the issue of loan, adding that the APC candidate and his campaign officials should be ashamed of their past.

    He decried Sylva for plunging the state into huge debts running into N432 billion when he was governor.

    The chief press secretary said Bayelsa was ranked as one of the most indebted states during Sylva’s tenure, noting that “the reverse is now the case.”

    He said Dickson managed to service the loans collected by Sylva to a manageable level of N90 billion, to make Bayelsa one of the least indebted states.

    “Under Sylva, there was routine diversion of funds meant for the payment of civil servants’ salaries and benefits. A N300 billion agric loan from the World Bank had no effect. Where were the projects established or farms set up or the fisheries development as proposed under the loan?

     “What happened to the N3 billion MDGs funds made available to Sylva? It is unfortunate that he left a legacy of a crippling debt profile in Bayelsa State. The bond obligation of the state totalled N125 billion under his watch,” Iworiso-Markson said.

  • Dickson warns Bayelsa youths against violence

    Dickson warns Bayelsa youths against violence

    Ahead of the December 5 governorship election, the Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday implored the youths to desist from any form of electoral violence capable of destabilising the state.

    Receiving a delegation of Women Arise for Change Initiative led by its President, Dr. Joe Okei- Odumakin, in his office, Yenagoa, the governor asked the youths not to destroy the legacies of his administration especially in security in the name of election.

    Dickson expressed commitment in collaborating with the Women Arise for Change Initiative (WACI) to launch WACI’s “Stop Youths Abuse” campaign.

    He called on the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its governorship candidate to follow suit by ensuring a violence-free governorship election.

    The governor emphasised the relevance of the initiative particularly as political activities gather momentum in the state.

    He said his administration in the last three and half years has formulated policies aimed at protecting women and youths in the state.

    He said: “government is passionate about protecting women against violence in all its ramifications which led to the setting up of a committee to handle issues of physical abuse of women particularly widows.”

    Dickson assured the organization of government’s readiness to also partner with other relevant stakeholders to increase the level of advocacy in curbing the incidence of violence against women and other vulnerable groups.

    He said that copies of the booklet titled: “Guidelines on Gender-Based Violence and Young Persons in Nigeria,” would be made available to all the communities, chiefs and local government areas of the state.

     

  • ‘Dickson fuelling disunity in Bayelsa APC’

    ‘Dickson fuelling disunity in Bayelsa APC’

    The Timipre Sylva Campaign Organisation has accused the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) governorship candidate in Bayelsa State, Governor Seriake Dickson, of sponsoring a media publication about the purported plot to arrest the All Progressives Congress state chairman, Mr. Tiwe Orunimighe. This came on the heels of media reports that the APC governorship candidate, Chief Timipre Sylva, has persuaded the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Solomon Arase, to order Orunimighe’s arrest.

    In a statement signed by Mr. Doifie Buokoribo, the campaign office said the false publication amounts to meddlessness in the affairs of the APC.

    The statement reads: “Hon. Seriake Dickson and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), have since the beginning of the campaign for the December 5 governorship election become ruthless interfering busybodies in the affairs of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The fascination with the APC and Chief Timipre Sylva is understandable, especially for a governor who hardly has any achievements to point to after nearly four years in office. Besides, Dickson and the PDP cannot afford not to be interested in the APC; a political party the vast majority of people in Bayelsa State are looking up to for redemption from the current regime of deceit and maladministration.

    “For the avoidance of doubt, we want to state clearly that the APC in Bayelsa State is united. We and, indeed, the people of Bayelsa, cannot be distracted by the campaign of calumny by the governor and his party, because they do not have any bankable achievements to showcase to the people, in seeking their votes. We are presenting a united front, with the good people of the state, to accomplish the historic mission of ending the PDP’s reign of underdevelopment on December 5.

    “As for the falsehood put out by Dickson and his party about the APC state chairman, any right-thinking person would know that the publication is a mere frivolity that exposes the distress of a sinking administration.

    “In their haste to misinform, they confused the name of the Inspector General of Police, calling him “Sunday Arise” – instead of Solomon Arase. They also lied about the age of the deputy governorship candidate of the APC, Elder Wilberforce Titus Igiri. We are at a loss how any responsible media organisation could be used for such unimaginative campaign.

     

     

     

     

    “The authors of the spurious publication alleged a letter to the Inspector General of Police, but failed to make any specific reference in terms of the wordings of the said letter, date, and reference number. These are necessary features that must authenticate formal communications with an officer of the Nigerian state as high in status as the IGP.

    “We call on the IGP to quickly dissociate his name from this triviality being sown by Dickson and PDP in Bayelsa State.

    “We appeal to the teeming APC members and supporters in the state to remain dedicated to the cause of our collective redemption through PDP’s electoral ouster on December 5. We cannot afford to bow to any distractions.”

     

  • Sylva to Dickson: don’t campaign with falsehood

    Sylva to Dickson: don’t campaign with falsehood

    The Timipre Sylva Campaign Organisation (TSCO) has urged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship candidate and Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson to adopt issue-based campaigns ahead of the December 5 governorship election.

    TSCO said it was unbecoming of the governor and his campaign team to resort to defaming the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate and former Governor Timipre Sylva as their sole campaign strategy.

    In a statement by its spokesman Doifie Buokoriba, TSCO noted that Dickson’s campaign strategy was centred on falsehood and deceit.

    It said such a strategy would fail the Bayelsa PDP and its governorship candidate as it failed their principal, former President Goodluck Jonathan, in the last elections.

    TSCO said: “We are disturbed that a sitting government desiring re-election has taken to a campaign of calumny, deception and lies as well as a sole election strategy. In lie after lie, which we have extensively exposed, they have tried to malign the character of Sylva. But it is clear that Dickson and his co-travellers will fail.

    “They will fail in Bayelsa State, as we are living witnesses to how such campaign of slander and mudslinging fell flat at the federal level, when it was applied by their principal, Dr. Jonathan, during the last presidential election. This fact is indubitable, and we ordinarily would not have bothered about Dickson’s and PDP’s mission of self-destruction in Bayelsa State.

    “But we need to warn that in this election, we are not in a contest for who would abuse most, but in a contest to improve the lives of the people of Bayelsa.

    “What comes out clearly in the current well-funded media campaign against Sylva is that it carries the official stamp of the Dickson administration. The visibly unimaginative and dull anti-Sylva publications have emanated from the Government House in Yenagoa, as the email addresses, forwardings and other imprimaturs of the Dickson government on them show.

    “Obviously, the campaign of calumny against Sylva is a deliberate policy of the Dickson administration, his only election plan, because, as we have repeatedly pointed out, he is evidently incompetent and ignorant of any achievements to campaign with.

    “In their latest rantings, they claimed that Sylva was bankrupt. Well, while Dickson is celebrating that Sylva is bankrupt, we are celebrating Dickson’s imminent defeat.”

    TSCO said Sylva, on his facebook page, challenged Dickson to show what he restored in the last four years.

    “But what is this obsession with Sylva’s finances? We thought Dickson’s folks should be preoccupied with rolling out his achievements in government. The people want to see what has been ‘restored’ these four odd years,” TSCO quoted Sylva as saying.

    It added: “The celebration of Sylva’s imagined insolvency is absurd. Simple Political Science 101 teaches that once a candidate emerges through a primary, the responsibility of funding his or her campaign rests squarely with the political party. It is unfortunate that Dickson is personalising the coming election in Sylva.

    “While Dickson pretends that he is not interested or interfering in the affairs of Sylva and his party, the APC has become his nightmare. One thing is clear to the whole state: Sylva will win…”

  • Dickson sets up burial committee

    Dickson sets up burial committee

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has set up a committee for the burial of former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who died last Saturday at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Rivers State.

    In a statement yesterday by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, the governor said the committee was constituted at an enlarged emergency State Executive Council(Exco) meeting at the Government House in Yenagoa.

    The governor pledged to give the late Alamieyeseigha a state burial.

    Deputy Governor Rear Admiral John Jonah (retd.) is the committee’s Chairman; House of Assembly Speaker Kombowei Benson is Vice-Chairman and Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Prof. Edmund Alison-Oguru, is its secretary.

    Other members are: Senator Foster Ogola; House of Representatives member Henry Ofongo; commissioners of Information and Orientation, Health, Works, Infrastructure as well as Culture and Ijaw National Affairs.

    Also, on the committee are: Chief of Staff at the Government House, Yenagoa and the Principal Executive Secretary to the Governor.

    The State Chairman, Secretary, Woman and Youth Leaders of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), representatives of the Alamieyeseigha family, the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Chief Thompson Okorotie, Prof. Steve Azaiki, the Chief Historian and Archivist of the state, are to serve on the committee.

    Dickson, who had declared a seven-day state mourning for the late Alamieyeseigha, urged Bayelsa residents to give the former governor a befitting burial.

    During a condolence visit to the deceased’s family at Opolo and Port Harcourt, Dickson noted that Bayelsa residents were proud of the late Alamieyeseigha and the legacies he left behind.

    He said: “The government will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the family to give him a heroic burial. The burden he left behind is heavy but we can see the unity of purpose by the family and the people.

    “We‘ve lost the greatest, biggest supporter and leader; only God can comfort us. Alamieyeseigha spoke up when necessary and stood up for the Ijaw course. Only God can comfort his family.

    “We are grieving, but we owe him a befitting burial. It is a painful incident and difficult times for the family, the state and the Ijaw nation. He was a leader to all of us and we are all going to miss him.”

    A member of the family and Commissioner of Transport, Akpoebidei Alamieyeseigha, hailed Dickson for the visit.

    He urged Bayelsa residents to pray for the deceased’s family.

  • Why Alamieyeseigha abandoned foreign medical trip, by Dickson

    Why Alamieyeseigha abandoned foreign medical trip, by Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has said the late Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha abandoned his foreign medical trip midway.

    Dickson, who spoke yesterday in Yenagoa, the state capital, in an emotion-laden state broadcast, said the late governor was a victim of orchestrated harassment.

    Alamieyeseigha died last Saturday at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH), Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.

    Though the governor did not name the forces behind the harassment, he said the maltreatment fast-tracked the death of the Ijaw hero.

    Dickson was apparently alluding to the allegation that the purported extradition request by Britain forced the former governor to abandon his medical trip and led to health complications that killed him.

    He warned against politicising Alamieyeseigha’s death, saying the incident should unite rather than divide the Ijaw.

    Dickson said: “We acknowledge the anger the genuine sense of anger and disappointment and the sense of outrage held by our people at home and in the Diaspora and all well-meaning Nigerians and lovers of justice around the world for the way our leader was harassed, pounded and forced to abandon his treatment abroad.

    “We condemn …the propaganda and the orchestrated harassment that led to his untimely death. However, it is our plea that this is not a time for recrimination and divisions.

    “This is rather a time for unity and for sober reflection. I, therefore, call for all and sundry, particularly youths of this state and Niger Deltans and of the Ijaw nation, to remain calm and maintain the peace as we all unite and grieve to mourn our departed leader.

    “I advise that we refrain from politicising our collective tragedy. This is a tragedy, a collective tragedy, and we should not politicise it. I advise that we join hands with the family to mourn with them and grieve with them and grieve with one another and work with the family and the government to ensure that we give him what he rightly deserved – a befitting state funeral.”

    The governor announced the postponement of the official inauguration of his governorship campaign, earlier scheduled for October 17 in Yenagoa, in honour of Alamieyeseigha.

    He noted that the nation, particularly the Ijaw, had lost a foremost statesman and leader.

    Dickson said his administration was determined to give Alamieyeseigha a befitting state burial.

    He said: “The state government is determined to accord him a befitting state burial. In this regard, a high-powered burial committee, led by the deputy governor, has been constituted. This committee will work out the details of the programme with the family and other relevant stakeholders.”

    Dickson said Alamieyeseigha served the nation as a military officer, dedicating himself to the service to Bayelsa State and the Ijaw nation, as governor and in other capacities.

    He said: “His selfless devotion and service to Bayelsa State and the Ijaw nation earned him the sobriquet ‘Governor-General’ of the ijaw nation in his lifetime.”

    The governor said condolence registers had been opened at the Government House, the state secretariat complex, Ijaw House in Yenagoa and the state’s liaison offices in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt, in honour of the deceased.

    He said: “…Since my assumption of duty as governor, Chief Alamieyeseigha had been a pillar of support and encouragement and advice.

    “He was a ready and dependable guide, a supporter and leader who availed at my disposal, his time, his experience; or to motivate me and to encourage me in the course of my service. In all these, his motivation was what was in the best interest of our people.”

    “In all of these, he showed uncommon dedication and commitment to the service of our people. He showed firm and clear-headed leadership when it mattered most and he did this to the very end.

    “At his passing, our nation has lost a great servant and bridge-builder. Our state and the Ijaw nation have lost a foremost statesman and a leader par excellence of this generation. Our government has lost a major pillar of support and encouragement. I have lost at a personal level a great leader and guide and father.

    “I have suffered a personal and monumental loss at his death. Chief Alamieyeseigha …was a good man and he touched a lot of lives. He was amiable, generous and kind. All those who knew him can attest to this; all those who knew him and interacted with him have also suffered a personal loss as I have done.”