The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Governor Seriake Dickson

  • Young PDP guber aspirant, Siasia, to dump party

    Young PDP guber aspirant, Siasia, to dump party

    Moses Siloko Siasia, 35-year old governorship aspirant in Bayelsa State, is set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, for a new political party.
    Siasia, the Chief Executive Officer (C.E.O.) of Mosilo Group, is expected to lead over 700 youth leaders across the eight local government areas of the state to the new party.
    According to a source within Siasia’s campaign disclosed on Wednesday that the decision by the astute businessman to dump the PDP is based on the injustice to other aspirants by the newly selected executive committees of the party who are loyal to Governor Seriake Dickson.
    The source further told The Nation that besides the insincerity and unity of purpose observed by Siasia, the lack of internal democracy within the various organs of the party in the state contributed to the decision.
    The source also hinted that over 15 political parties within the state are willing to adopt Siasia as their sole candidate.
    “Moses Siasia is leaving the PDP because he is convinced that the party is not yet ready to change its ways of imposition and godfatherism.
    “He is convinced that the PDP has not learnt its lessons from the last general elections and will surely suffer the same fate at the forth-coming elections in the state. The governor is running the PDP in Bayelsa like a private estate and has sidelined former President Goodluck Jonathan, a prominent son of the state.
    “There is no reason to continue to stay in the party with him. It is advisable for everyone to leave the party for him so he can do as he wishes with it. Very soon, he will be the only one left in the party,” The Nation gathered.
    Furthermore, the source noted that Siasia will declare for his new party very soon adding that ‘he will not join APC’ because of the cultural mentality of the Ijaw people who see APC as the party responsible for the defeat of their kinsman at the presidential poll.
    The also added that Siasia, being very loyal to the Ijaw race, will never do anything to offend them or hurt their emotions. “He is a patriotic Ijaw son”.
    [news_box style=”2″ display=”tag” link_target=”_blank” tag=”Siasia, Moses” count=”6″ show_more=”on” show_more_type=”link” header_background=”#000000″]
  • PDP’s BoT meeting in Bayelsa sparks row

    PDP’s BoT meeting in Bayelsa sparks row

    It was meant to bring peace. But a meeting by the Board of Trustees (BoT) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)  in Bayelsa State to reconcile feuding groups ahead of the December 5 governorship election has provoked more controversies.

    The Acting Chairman of the party’s BoT, Dr. Haliru Mohammed, it was gathered, presided over the parley which was convened on Sunday at the courtyard of the former President Goodluck Jonathan in Otuoke, Ogbia Local Government Area.

    It was gathered that the meeting was at the behest of Jonathan, who was said to be making efforts to halt the exodus of his party men to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

    A core decision taken at the gathering, it was learnt, was the lifting of the suspension and expulsion of party leaders by the State Working Committee (SWC).

    The SWC, in a move supported by the Governor Seriake Dickson, expelled for anti-party activities during the last general elections.

    They were sanctioned a few months after the state chairman of the party was suspended for allegedly diverting N40million campaign funds donated by the former Minister of Petroleum, Mrs. Diezani Allison-Madueke – an allegation he denied.

    But the move backfired and led to a prolonged crisis that saw some disgruntled people pitching their tent with the APC.

    The Saturday meeting, which started at 11am, however, ended with anti-Dickson forces claiming that the governor and the chairman of the state Reconciliation Committee were barred from the gathering.

    One of the anti-Dickson party members said the meeting, insisted that Dickson and Alameiyesiegha should not be part of it.

    The source, who spoke in confidence, said: “The two were asked to leave and were accompanied out of the venue by Haliru before the meeting commenced. They accused Alamieseigha of taking sides and insisted that he should not be party of the gathering.

    But a loyalist of the governor who spoke in confidence said nobody was walked out of the meeting.

    He said: “This is part of a campaign of calumny against Dickson. I was present at the meeting and nobody was walked out. It is senseless to say that a sitting governor who also initiated the reconciliation and a former governor who is the chairman of the reconciliation committee were barred from attending a meeting. It is unbelievable. Nothing of such happened”.

    Also, the Secretary of the state Reconciliation Committee, Chief Thompson Okorotie, said there was no time the governor or any member of the party was walked out of the meeting.

    He said the Haliru-led committee met with groups separately as part of diplomacy in resolving the crisis.

    “Dickson had an engagement to inaugurate the Nembe City stadium. So after concluding his meeting with the committee, he was allowed to go for his engagement with his entourage. We also followed him to Nembe.

    “Alamieyeseigha followed us to Nembe. Even the former President left shortly because the committee wanted to be left alone with the people they invited to meet. So, it is not true that he was walked out of the meeting,” he said.

    Also, the state Secertary of PDP, Mr.  Godspower Keku, said the meeting ended peacefully, with a call on feuding members and stakeholders to close ranks, ahead of the forthcoming governorship poll.

    He said the meeting resolved to rescind the suspension and expulsion of some members, who had despite the internal squabbles, remained in the PDP, unlike those, who defected to the opposition.

    He said the decision was taken in the best interest of the party, especially with a crucial election around the corner.

    According to him, the decision was taken on Dickson’s request.

     He, however, pointed out that, the lifting of the suspensions was still subject to the ratification of the state’s working committee, which is expected to deliberate on it soon.

    [news_box style=”2″ display=”tag” link_target=”_blank” tag=”BoT,” count=”6″ show_more=”on” show_more_type=”link” header_background=”#ededed” header_text_color=”#000000″]

  • Dickson: we won’t surrender surveillance contract to ex-militants

    Dickson: we won’t surrender surveillance contract to ex-militants

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson said yesterday  his administration would not surrender the state’ share of the pipeline surveillance contract to ex-militants  and their leaders.

    The governor insisted that the decision mandating the state-owned Izon-Ibe Security Company to execute the job was taken in the best interest of the state.

    A statement by Dickson’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson said the governor spoke at the 26th meeting of the State Security Council in Yenagoa.

    He debunked claims made by some ex-militants that, the government hijacked the project, which was meant for them to execute.

    Ex-militants on Friday engaged in violent protest in Yenagoa accusing the governor of cornering contracts meant for them through Izon Ibe.

    But Dickson who denied the allegation said rather than allow few persons to benefit at the expense of the generality of youths in the state, the security outfit would drive a community-based recruitment process to engage willing and able young people to secure pipelines and other oil facilities.

    According to the Governor, the security company would soon call for applications from interested youths at the grassroots, particularly oil producing communities.

    He said the company would give shortlisted persons the requisite training that would enable them to discharge their duties effectively.

    He, therefore, called on the youths to be wary of disgruntled elements, who just want to use them as cannon fodders to achieve their selfish interests and create crisis in the state.

    His words: “Let me say that this government is of the view that the state-owned Izon-Ibe security company was set up to make it possible for young people in all the communities and particularly the youths and community leaders of communities that are producing oil resources, including those that harbour other facilities to be carried along.

    “We don’t believe that only few people can render that surveillance service in all the local government areas of our state.

    “And, so we’ve taken that decision in good faith, and I like to use this opportunity to again call on the youths of our state, not to be misguided by certain desperate elements, who want to create crisis and unnecessary division and trouble in our State.”

    He added: “The company will reach out to them (youths) in no distant time, so that those who are interested will apply to be gainfully engaged after training and it is going to be community-driven, because we want to know those, who are protecting our facilities”.

    Also the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Paul Okafor asked aggrieved individuals or groups to explore legitimate means to express their grievances rather than threaten to cause breakdown of law and order.

    The police commissioner warned the people of the state, particularly the youths to shun violence and other vices.

    He reaffirmed the commitment of the security agencies to maintaining the exist peace and tranquility in Bayelsa State.

  • Dickson’s aide hails Supreme Court’s judgement

    Dickson’s aide hails Supreme Court’s judgement

    An aide to Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State, Mr. Bello Bina, has hailed the Supreme Court’s judgment that confirmed Dickson as the authentic governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the 2012 election in the state.

    Bina who spoke in Yenagoa on Thursday said the court simply confirmed the general feelings of the PDP members in the state.

    He noted that the protracted litigation was diversionary and affected the focus of the government.

    With the litigation over, Bina said the governor would be focused to attend to government business and concentrate more on developmental programmes and policies.

    Bina who is the governor’s Special Assistant on General Duties said the end of the matter would enable the government to focus of development instead of wasting time and resources on frivolities.

    “The governor will continue to provide dividends of democracy to people of the state. We pray God to continue to guide, protect and provide the governor with good health, wisdom and foresight to pilot the affairs of the state,” he said.

  • A ‘divorce’ long expected

    A ‘divorce’ long expected

    Patience dumps Dickson as the scales finally fall from the eyes of the ‘romantic pair of lovers’

    Like all such ‘marriages of convenience’, the political alliance between Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State and the First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, finally collapsed like a pack of cards on October 23. I cannot say precisely when the ‘romance’ started. But not many would doubt that it was initiated by the governor, who must have felt he needed the First Family’s support to realise his political ambition. It was in furtherance of this objective that the governor appointed Mrs Jonathan as a “super” permanent secretary in the Bayelsa State Civil Service in July 2012, barely five months after his inauguration. She was one of the 17 persons so appointed. Expectedly, the appointment caused outrage in the country, with many people expressing misgivings about it and the extent to which the civil service had been politicised, because, clearly, such appointment is injurious to the civil service, which is supposed to be the engine room of governance in the state.

    Without doubt, it was an abuse of privilege which did not make sense in a place like Nigeria. What would the wife of the President of Nigeria do with the ‘peanut’ that a permanent secretary (super or ordinary) earns monthly, compared to the unlimited pork in the care of public office holders here? May be elsewhere, where public servants, including the president, are closely monitored to ensure that they do not have access to more than belong to them from the public till, such peanut could amount to something; definitely not here where public functionaries can spend and all we would do is keep wondering who appropriated the money for them and when?

    But Governor Dickson, like most public officers in the country defended the appointment; he even quoted the constitution to support his decision. The governor probably would have quoted another section of the constitution to support himself or even quote the same section upside down if he did not want to do what he did. The point I am making is that deep down in his heart, the governor knew he made the appointment due more to political exigency, even if he was not willing to admit that much.

    Mrs Jonathan’s resignation has however confirmed what many of us have always known about such ‘marriages of convenience’. Once the scales fall from the eyes of at least one of the lovers (which is more than enough requirement for a ‘divorce’) the ‘wedlock’ collapses. Since it takes two to tango, and since, as the late Chief Moshood Abiola once said, one cannot clap with one hand, the collapse of the ‘unholy wedlock’ was only a matter of time. That time came on Thursday.

    Those who feel the resignation might be to pave way for others to climb in the civil service must have got it all wrong. Since when did the First Lady realise that her appointment was blocking others from making progress, after all, she was appointed more than two years ago? Secondly, how can only one space given to her be the obstruction on the part of those deserving elevation in the state civil service? At any rate, what would it cost the state government to create offices for the deserving even where none ever existed; after all, again, there is a precedent already? For sure, Governor Dickson would gladly have created other offices if that had been the problem. So, that excuse certainly, does not hold water. Moreover, at 57, the First Lady still has at least three more years to go, given the retirement age in the state civil service pegged at 60. Why then would she be in a hurry to leave the system?

    In essence therefore, the only plausible reason that could be adduced for her resignation is that she felt she has bided her time enough and it is now time for her to come out of her shell which she had recoiled into a few months back, following persistent bashings she received online after the now famous blood that they are sharing (shedding) saga. Mrs Jonathan ‘s running battles with the governor have been in the news for long; apparently it has got to a point where she can no longer stay in her shell if she is to stop the governor’s reelection bid. Already, according to reports, she has her eyes on Waripamowei Dudafa, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Domestic Affairs. Dudafa, a former Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Bayelsa State appears the only man that President Jonathan and former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha can trust and are therefore likely to back for the state governorship election in 2016. It would appear therefore, that Dame Jonathan is in charge of that flank for the election, apparently to allow the president concentrate on other areas that might not want to capitulate to the almighty ‘federal might’ in the coming elections.

    We cannot also forget that Mrs Jonathan is a veteran of political battles. Her issue with Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State is still fresh in mind. She bared her mind on the rift with Amaechi to 16 bishops from the south-south geopolitical zone who visited the Presidential Villa in July, last year. According to her, “This matter started as far back as four years ago at Anyugubiri in Okrika when I begged him not to demolish a part of Okrika but (that he should) dialogue first with the people. After that incident, he called the chairman of Okrika (local government) and sacked him for holding a reception in our honour; that boy was the first victim. He also put my people on curfew for nine months. I called him and pleaded with him but he refused. Then I began to hear all sorts of propaganda in the media against me; this is not the way …”

    It is a long story but the kernel is that Governor Amaechi stood his ground from the beginning to the end. No doubt he paid some price for that because his state was nearly made ungovernable by the powers-that-be. It could not have been worse for Governor Dickson if he had followed a similar course that is almost certain he would have to pursue now that the president’s wife is almost set to go for his jugular. The governor must have realised, perhaps belatedly, that there are some people like that who can hardly be pleased once they have made up their minds or have their minds made up for them. But my own take is that what the governor cannot tolerate as a big man, he should have been rejecting even when he was poor.

    Mrs Jonathan has by her resignation confirmed the saying that the cane that was used to whip the first wife (Timipre Sylva in this instance) was never thrown away; it was merely hidden in the ceiling. Now that they have need for it again, they are going to retrieve it.

    This however is contrary to what Mrs Jonathan told the visiting bishops on Amaechi’s matter because; at a time in her speech to them, she went scriptural. At another, she went philosophical. Hear her: “… I pray that God touches Amaechi’s heart as per his hot temper because when two elephants fight, it is the grass that suffers …  Hebrews 12:14 urges us to embrace peace with all men without which; we cannot see God. Amaechi is my son; I cannot fight him, and I cannot kill him”. And the philosophical: “He shouldn’t be used by outsiders against his own blood because this seat is vanity. “One day, no matter how long it takes; we will leave this seat. Power is not forever”. Got the contradiction between words and deed?

    Anyway, all said, whether the forces against the governor would prevail or not is difficult to predict, but what may not be is the fact that even the Dudafa that they reportedly prefer today is coming to have the same comeuppance. It is only a matter of time for today’s lucky man to realise that he cannot please his political godfathers. Once upon a time, Dickson was the anointed child with whom they were well pleased. As things stand, the governor must realise that he has a lot to contend with. If Dame Jonathan could treat Amaechi whom she referred to as her “son” the way she did, then Dickson who is not her “son” should know what to expect. But, like all those who rode to power on the back of the tiger, he needs more than his present tough posture not to end up in the tiger’s belly, and to win the battle ahead. If the matter is about wars and chariots, he needs no soothsayer to tell him he is not in contention. He would be fought on all fronts – land, air and sea.

  • The dem say, dem say governor

    The dem say, dem say governor

    Bayelsa governor has added something new to media lexicon

    Many students of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, taught by Prof Ralph Akinfeleye would remember the book, Essentials of Modern African Journalism: a Premier, authored by the lecturer. In it, Prof Akinfeleye talked about different kinds of journalism. Akinfeleye talked, for instance, of ‘Journalism of Next-of-Kin’, ‘Cocktail Journalism’, ‘Journalism of’ Gin and Lime’ and Journalism of the General Order’. All, I guess, are self-explanatory. To these four, however, Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has added a fifth: dem say, dem say journalism. I must confess it is after this ‘invention’ that I am beginning to be convinced that the Bayelsa State governor is highly resourceful. Even Prof Akinfeleye must be wondering why in all his decades of teaching and talking mass communication, it never occurred to him that such journalism should be listed in his book, in spite of its prevalence in our clime. Your Excellency, I doff my hat!

    As a matter of fact, doffing my hat can never be enough in this situation, because, as a Bayelsan, the governor himself has all kinds of hats and he must have seen many people doff all manner of hats for him. What, in my view should be adequate compensation for this erudition on the part of His Excellency is for Prof Akinfeleye to return, as a matter of urgency, to his publishers for a more recent edition of the book, to accommodate the all-important addition by the governor, while readers must be ready to grab their copies, NOW! Indeed, those of us who graduated based on only what Prof Akinfeleye wrote in his book should be recalled and made to ‘repeat’ the course, to see if we have taken note of Governor Dickson’s contribution. Journalism scholars and students alike worldwide owe His Excellency a world of gratitude for this creativity. Imagine what we have been missing until now that the governor woke us from our academic slumber to this ‘local content’, a thing we have been trying to achieve in all spheres of life without success. This is such a serious matter that I would have loved to prevail on the University of Lagos (my alma mater) to endow a chair in the great university on his behalf, if such an important discovery had come from Governor Godswill Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State, so that it could at least benefit from the Akwa Ibom governor’s uncommon generosity.

    But Bayelsa State is fast becoming a recurring decimal in the news of late, and particularly since President Jonathan assumed office. Things have been happening in that state at the speed of light that it is almost difficult to chronicle them in a single piece. Not to worry; we shall try to mention a few, of which dem say, dem say journalism is just the latest. There is also this unusual hospitality, at least by and to ‘their ogas at the very top’. They hardly repay good with evil. President Jonathan demonstrated this attribute in his recent pardon granted his former boss, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, who was convicted for fraud. The President saw nothing wrong or unusual in that action; in fact, he was shocked that the rest of us were shocked by it when we should be praising him. He was not alone; indeed, many people in Bayelsa openly jubilated over the presidential pardon. Obviously, the people were not on the same page with the rest of us, or vice versa. I was sad over that pardon because the President forgot to admonish his former boss to ‘steal no more’. After all, Jesus Christ who pardoned the woman ‘charged’ with adultery (as if she could have done it all with herself) added that proviso: ‘go but sin no more’. Since there was no such condition or conditionality in the presidential pardon for Alamieyeseigha, the man appears to have a blanket cheque, meaning that he can do it again and again and expect to be pardoned all the time, at least for as long as ‘their son’ is in power!

    Governor Seriake too did what many of us regarded as unthinkable when in July last year he appointed Patience Jonathan, the President’s wife, as permanent Secretary in the state civil service. Recall also that the other day, President Jonathan expressed surprise as regards how Channels Television ‘penetrated’ the police college to expose the rot there when he should have thanked the television station for a job well done. In like manner, Governor Dickson too did not appear concerned about what could be the fertiliser for dem say, dem say journalism. All that matters to him is the proscription of this aspect of journalism. It did not strike him that dem say, dem say journalism thrives when information is not readily available.

    In spite of whatever misgivings we might have about some of these somewhat unsavoury developments, however, I am glad to announce that they still have a redeeming feature. At least they offer some comic relief that is good for our health as Nigerians who are daily being bombarded with news from high places that can only further reduce life expectancy in the country. The fact is that the polity has been too hard and dry, and we can only imagine what damage this can do to our health. People like Governors Rochas Okorocha of Imo State and Dickson may not know it; they are somewhat helping in their own little ways to reduce stress in the land.

    Imagine how Okorocha’s two-weeklong holiday to the Igbo people in his state last December made many of us to roar with laughter not just for its novelty but more for its ‘creativeness’. And the other day when Dickson too laboured in vain to justify the appointment of Mrs Jonathan as permanent secretary, many of us nearly rolled on the floor over the absurdity of the excuse given. Yes, we may say that the kind of comic relief we are getting from our politicians these days is not as imaginative as the ones we got from, say Hon. Adegoke Adelabu, the inventor of the word ‘penkelemeesi’ (peculiar mess) in the First Republic; or the Late Barkin Zuwo, former Governor of Kano State in the Second Republic who asked soldiers that found millions of naira in his house what was funny in finding government money at the Government House.

    The fact is, since the demise of Alhaji Lamidi Adedibu (remember him?)who said he was entitled to a liberal slice of Oyo State government largesse), we have missed some of these hilarious actions. But it appears all hope is not lost, with Governors Okorocha and Dickson struggling to fill the vacuum left by some of these comedians of old. If there is a decline in the level of their performance compared to the great ones that are now departed, it is just a reflection of the country where the only things on the rise are the parochial, the bad and the ugly. Standards in every good area have been on the decline. So, we can still make do with the substandard comic relief; after all, half comic relief is better than none.

    From my email

    Just read your column of Sunday March 24, Tunji. Metaphorically speaking, full deregulation of the oil industry is the President’s haughty but subtle way of telling Nigerians that after all the oil comes from Ijaw land, so he can decide what to do with it. But until he foolishly completes the deregulation, neither he nor his advisers can imagine how suffering Nigerians will react. Please hide my identity. Happy Sunday.

  • Dickson to Solicitor-General: ‘Uphold professionalism’

    WORRIED by the lacklustre performance of lawyers attached to the state Ministry of Justice, Governor Seriake Dickson has called for a change of attitude.

    Dickson who spoke when swearing-in Barr. Preye Agedah, a practicing lawyer, as permanent secretary of the ministry of Justice and Solicitor-General of the state, and Mr. Suru Oyarede as Permanent Secretary for the Local Government Service Commission, noted that the manner government cases are being handled in the ministry which is one of the greatest challenges must be corrected.

    “The major challenge of the Ministry of Justice was the sloppiness with which government cases were handled,” noted Dickson, who called on Barrister Agedah to work towards addressing the problem.

     

  • Bayelsa to immortalise Abacha, honour Alamieyeseigha

    Bayelsa to immortalise Abacha, honour Alamieyeseigha

    To mark the 16th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa State, the state government has announced its decision to immortalise late General Sani Abacha.
    It has concluded plans to lay the foundation stone for a 150 duplex housing estate which would be named after late General Abacha whose government created Bayelsa State as Head of State on the 1st of October, 1996.
    Governor Seriake Dickson announced the decision on Monday in his broadcast to commemorate the 16th anniversary of the creation of the State and the 52nd independence of the country.
    According to Governor Dickson, government in partnership with the Ijaw National Congress (INC), has christened the main auditorium of the INC secretariat after General Abacha as well as invite the family of the late General to be part of the celebration and also plant a memorial tree in his honour.
    This gesture which comes 16 years after the creation of the state would also be used to honour the first civilian Governor of the State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha for his commitment to the Ijaw struggle by naming a hall after him in the INC building which was started by him.
    The governor also paid tributes to those he described as worthy Nigerian leaders like President Olusegun Obasanjo and late President Umaru Yar’Adua whose actions impacted positively on Bayelsans.
    He re-affirmed his administration’s commitment towards ensuring accelerated infrastructural development and revolutionary investments in human capital development.

  • Bayelsa to build film village

    Bayelsa State Government is to build a film village as part of efforts to project its vast potentials to the outside world.  Governor Seriake Dickson has said. He spoke at a state dinner for some Nollywood stars who were in the state for a symposium on the prospects of indigenous films in Nigeria at Government House, Yenagoa .
    Dickson spoke of his administration’s intention to collaborate with the African Movie Academy Awards (AMAA), to enable the academy hold its activities annually in the state.
    According to him, aside from the film village, government is putting in place the necessary infrastructure such as good road network , a boat club, golf course and other recreational facilities, that could facilitate as well as enrich film production in Bayelsa State.
    Governor Dickson remarked that the Glory land Castle in Government House has been converted to a six- star hotel, which he noted will be the first of its kind in the country when completed.
    Re-affirming his administration’s commitment to make Bayelsa State a centre of excellence in the Arts and Culture, the Governor urged actors, actresses and film producers to take advantage of the peaceful and alluring scenery of the state for their film production.

    In her remarks, one of the Nollywood stars, Miss Hilda Dokubo lauded Governor Dickson for his developmental strides as well as enthroning a governance culture through the institutionalization of transparency and accountability.
    Miss Dokubo thanked the Governor for organizing the symposium and urged other state Governors to emulate the gesture.