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Tag: Seriake Dickson

  • Dickson supports ex-Police Affairs minister for INC president

    BAYELSA State Governor Seriake Dickson has mobilised support for a former Police Affairs Minister, Alaowei Broderick Bozimo, to become President of the Ijaw National Congress (INC).

    The governor, in a statement by his media aide, Fidelis Soriwei, advocated for a rancour-free, INC convention on June 29.

    The governor spoke during a meeting with leaders of the Western Zone, including INC Presidential hopeful, Bozimo, in Warri, Delta State. He said it was important to have a president with name, reputation, capacity and understanding of the issues and challenges facing the Ijaw of the Niger Delta, especially with current realities in the country.

    Dickson called on the members to support Bozimo.

    He said: “We are in unusual times in Nigerian; most of you have seen my views on issues affecting our people. The Ijaw nation is also at a turning point. There are many unusual things going on.

    “We are observing what is happening in the country, people have been holding meetings. I have been briefed on so many meetings going on. All those who are contesting are qualified, but after consultations, we need to talk to people. We need to talk to people to join the team.

    Prevailing on somebody to run for a particular position should not be seen as disrespect to others.

    Read Also: Dickson blasts office-seeking, inconsistent politicians

    “The Ijaw nation needs an arrow head. The job requires concerted action. We need an arrowhead, with name, reputation, capacity and understanding of the issues. We compelled Alaowei to contest just as we compelled Sekibo. “INC service is not a political party. I support the need to have somebody of Bozimo’s pedigree at the INC at this point in our country’s history.”

    Bozimo said despite his age, he was knowledgeable and well-experienced, having served in various capacities including, Minister of Police Affairs during former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s administration and others.

    He boasted that he has been fastidious about the development of the Ijaw Nation, and would continue to champion the rights of the people.

    He thanked Dickson, who he noted has demonstrated humility, for his effort in speaking for his people, and prayed God to uplift him to the highest position of leadership of the country in the future.

  • Dickson, ANA to immortalise Okara

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson and the Association of Nigerian Authors (ANA) have promised to build and name more projects after the late literary icon, Pa. Gabriel Okara.

    Okara was buried at his hometown in Bomoundi, Ekpetiama, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State at the weekend.

    The national leadership of ANA promised to name one of the structures at the Writers’ Village project after Okara in honour of his contributions to literary development.

    The President, Denja Abdullahi, made the promise when he led a delegation to visit author and retired lecturer, Dr. Seiyifa Koroye.

    Abdullahi, who described the late Okara as a very warm writer, said the late icon was very supportive to younger writers around him.

    He said: “Okara was supportive of younger writers around him, and those people not close to him. Okara is like a good company and his passage deserved to be celebrated.

    “We are building a writer’s village in Abuja, and we have many structures there. Definitely we will name one structure after him; something must be named after Okara following the completion.”

    Koroye, who chairs the Bayelsa Library Board, said it was a privilege to receive such delegates at Okara’s funeral.

    He said: “Gabriel Okara, literally, is one of the blessed that came upon the earth. This is not to say he didn’t work hard. But people must still say blessed because the hard work he did yielded fruits.

    “He got a long enough time to work hard and to produce more fruits, such that he lived to 100 years and 11 months before he died; so he’s a blessed person and he has an impact well beyond the years we are counting.

    Read Also: Who succeeds Dickson in Bayelsa?

    “Pa Okara was never a noisy person, so you would not see in any of his writings an angry talk. But his main focus was on reality and the way people lived, and he got the truth about their experience and that’s what is in his poetry.”

    Prior to his death, Dickson renovated the cultural centre in Yenagoa and renamed it the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre, a move that was applauded by stakeholders.

    But the governor, during activities mapped out for Okara’s state burial at the weekend, said his government would build a mausoleum at the Ijaw National Memorial Park to honour the late icon.

    According to him, the state wanted to bury Okara in the park but the offer was reconsidered following family and cultural preferences. Dickson added that following a request by the old boys of Government College Umuahia, Abia State, Okara’s alma mater, the government would work with the college to execute a project to be named after Okara.

    He said: “Pa Gabriel Okara will have a mausoleum at the Ijaw National Memorial Park. The state suggested this to the family’; they appreciated it but explained other dimensions which we all understood.

    “I have also listened to the request by the old boys of Government College in Umuahia, and the government of Bayelsa State will work with the college to undertake a project that will be named after Pa. Okara.”

    Former President Goodluck Jonathan praised Dickson for recognising the contributions of the late icon when he was alive.

    He said: “Let me praise the Bayelsa State government for appreciating and recognising leaders who have contributed to the development of the country by immortalising them in naming state infrastructure after them.

    “This theatre was named after Pa. Okara, and also the state library when he was alive. I agree that the best way to honour people is when they are still alive.”

  • Dickson blasts office-seeking, inconsistent politicians

    Bayelsa State Governor, Honourable Seriake Dickson over the weekend flayed the political class for their inability to identify with the people they seek to govern in times of need.

    A statement by his Special Adviser on Media on Media Relations, Fidelis Soriwei quoted the   Governor as having made the remark at the commendation service and burial of literary icon and international Poet, Dr. Gabriel Imomotimi Okara in Yenagoa over the weekend.

    The Governor expressed displeasure that such group of Bayelsans are only interested in imposing themselves on the people rather than identify with them, particularly on the passage of such a great literary icon who God used in blessing  the Ijaw nation.

    Governor Dickson noted that honouring both the living and the dead has been an essential component of his restoration government since 2012, expressing regret that they have failed to learn the lessons inherent in the virtues behind this philosophy.

    According to the Governor, “Today we are burying and honouring this great man that God gave to us and you will not see them. The only time you see them is when they want to impose themselves on you and I. They never learn the lesson that in the last seven years we have been teaching; which is that a society that does not recognise and honour its best, a society that is in perpetual strife and looking for who to blame, pull down and destroy and not upholding and respecting what is good is a doomed society.”

    The Governor also announced a donation of N25 million on behalf of the state government to the Dr. Gabriel Okara Foundation towards upholding the legacies of the distinguished literary icon.

    Read Also: Jonathan, Dickson in battle of wits over gov’s successor

    In his words; “The Bayelsa State government will work and partner with you to see how we can be talking about his timeless works and the lessons he taught the world. We will support the foundation so that our stories that Dr. Okara told the world will continue from now till the end of time.”

    While expressing gratitude to people from all walks of life who attended the burial, the Governor particularly appreciated Prof. Brenda Marie-Osbey who came from the United States to be part of the final burial rites.

    Eulogising the late Dr. Okara, a renowned historian, Prof. Ebiegberi Alagoa described him as an elder brother from whom he learnt a great deal.

    Also paying tribute on behalf the bereaved family, the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Kemela Okara thanked the governor for organising a state burial, in honour of the literary giant, describing the gesture as an exceptional farewell to the literary legend.

    In his remarks, President of the Association of Nigerian Authors, Mr. Denja Abudullahi, said rather than mourn the passage of Dr Okara people should celebrate his eventful life of prodigious contributions to humanity through literature and public service.

    Other prominent personalities that graced the event were the Deputy Governor, Rear Adm. Gboribiogha John Jonah, Prof. John Pepper Clark, a Poet of note, Prof. Ebiegberi Alagoa, a renowned historian, Prof. Kimse Okoko, former President, Ijaw National Congress, Prof. Lawrence Ekpebu and Prof. Godini Darah of the University of Africa, Toru Orua.

    Former Minister of Police Affairs, Broderick Bozimo and his spouse, Mrs Elechi Amadi, former and serving national as well as state legislators, traditional rulers and well-wishers paid their last respect to the departed literary hero.

     

     

  • Jonathan, Dickson in strange romance ahead of guber poll

    The sight of former President Goodluck Jonathan and Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson walking, sitting and laughing together in a state function at the weekend surprised many onlookers.

    Most people described the romance between the two political leaders ahead of the November governorship election as strange following reports hitherto suggesting that the duo were not in good terms.

    Jonathan hardly attended state functions. He was conspicuously absent in important state functions including ceremonies for inauguration of critical projects, which had  former Head of State, Yakubu Gowon and former President Olusegun Obasanjo in attendance.

    Besides, Dickson’s and Jonathan’s paths hardly crossed in public as each of them would either send representative or find cogent reason to be absent in events that could bring them together.

    Speculations of frosty political relationship between the duo became rife at the buildup to the last general elections especially after the primary elections that produced the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    The duo were said to have worked in cross purposes with Jonathan and his foot soldiers reportedly working against the candidates of the PDP in Ogbia, his local government area, following misgivings that Dickson frustrated Jonathan’s preferred aspirants at the primaries.

    But the atmosphere at the launching of the Bayelsa Education Development Trust Fund at the Banquet Hall, Yenagoa, on Friday betrayed all the speculations as the two leaders worked harmoniously throughout the programme.

    Jonathan and Dickson including the governor’s wife sat together, constantly engaged in whispering and cooperated with each other.

    In fact, Jonathan stunned the guests when he praised Dickson’s achievements in the educational sector. A day before the event, Jonathan in another function organised by Ijaw elders in search of peaceful election, also poured encomiums on Dickson.

    Read Also: Dickson is chair PDP govs forum

    In his goodwill message at the launch of the fund, Jonathan said: “Let me just say that I appreciate what the governor and government of Bayelsa state is doing regarding education and we all know, and I tell people that the only way you can liberate people, you can uplift people is through education.

    “Only on Wednesday when our elders, from Lagos came up with a programme, though our governor was not there himself, the deputy governor was there. I did mention that we must all commend what the state Governor was doing regarding education.

    “The governor has gone much higher than we projected in 2006 in terms of the expansion of educational web. I have to thank you sincerely and for today, for this initiative because most problems we have in governance, is to come up with a good idea but how will that endure in most cases, immediately you leave the system collapses.

    “By setting up a board, established by law for the educational development trust fund , he has made this to endure beyond his eight  and that really makes me very happy, I have two meetings with the board and  I promised that even my foundation as little as we are will continue to partner with this trust fund board”.

    Dickson after speaking had earlier invited Jonathan to the podium to make his remarks and stood beside the former President throughout his speech.

    Jonathan also accepted an appointment from the governor to serve as an Honorary Special Adviser to the board on fund donations and promised to use his contacts to attract funds to the board.

    Many people, however, believe that unfolding events in the buildup to the November governorship election especially in the PDP will determine whether the cordial relationship between Jonathan and Dickson will last beyond the launch of the trust fund.

  • LG poll: Dickson orders consultations to produce PDP candidates

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has directed the leadership of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to deepen consultations to enable emergence of consensus candidates in the forthcoming local government elections.

    The governor said the approach should be adopted and intensified to ensure a rancour-free local government election in the state.

    It was gathered that already PDP leaders had commenced consultations in all the wards and local government areas of the state ahead of the election scheduled for July 27, 2019.

    The State Chairman of the PDP, Chief Moses Cleopas, had in a press conference in Yenagoa said that candidates for the election would emerge through a transparent process of consultations.

    He said such candidates would be selected by their party leaders based on their loyalty, sacrifice, dedication and contributions to the party with special interest in the principle of rotation especially for the positions of chairmen and councilors.

    But Dickson urged party leaders to return to their communities to intensify the consultative meetings in consonance with the PDP’s style of leadership which had brought stability to the state and the party.

    Read Also: Bayelsa poll: Who succeeds Dickson?

    The governor in a statement signed at the weekend by his Special Adviser on Media Relations, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, advised all aspirants to consult their leaders in the various local government areas.

    He stressed that there would be no room for rancorous primaries and warned aspirants to avoid unnecessary expenditure as a result of the forthcoming primaries and elections.

    He said: “That there will be no rancorous contest and primaries. To build on the well-known capacity for managing the politics of the state which has brought stability to the state and the party?

    “All those who want to aspire for various positions should consult with their leaders. The leaders should meet, ascertain their record to loyalty, hard work and contributions to the party and then shortlist them for the final ratification by the party leadership.

    “So there will be no rowdy contest and those who want to contest should go and make their case to their leaders.”

    Dickson also directed the leaders of the party to identify two persons, a male and female in each of the wards and seven other names comprising four men and three females for the Rural Development Areas, the Supervisory Councilors and Councilors.

    He advised party members and aspirants to refrain from acts inimical to the interest of the party and to hold consultations with their leaders.

     

     

  • Dickson writes INEC, demands change of date

    The November 2nd date fixed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the governorship election in Bayelsa State has raised some dust in the state, it was learnt on Tuesday.

    It was gathered that government stakeholders were not comfortable with the date, which is statutorily set aside as a public holiday in the state.

    A source from the Government House said that government officials were shocked that INEC chose a day that had been dedicated since 2012 as a Thanksgiving Day in Bayelsa for an election.

    The source, who spoke in confidence, said INEC must have chosen the date unknowingly, adding Governor, Seriake Dickson, was making serious efforts to convince the commission to shift the date.

    Already, he said Dickson sent a letter to the commission explaining the spiritual importance of the date to Bayelsa and why the election should be rescheduled to another day.

    He said: “November 2 is statutorily significant in the state. It is Bayelsa Thanksgiving Day. In fact, in 2012, the first executive bill Governor Seriake Dickson sent to the state House of Assembly immediately he assumed office was the Bayelsa State Thanksgiving Day Bill.

    “The bill was expeditiously passed into law by the Kombowei Benson-led legislative arm and November 2 was dedicated to thanksgiving and prayers in the state. Since he assented to the bill in 2012, Dickson has kept faith with the provisions of the law.

    “Annually for seven years, he held the solemn occasion. It is usually a public holiday. Apart from spiritual activities, nothing including politics, works in the state on that day”.

    On the significance of the day, he added: “Dickson was making huge plans for the 8th edition of the spiritual fiesta because it is the last thanksgiving of his administration.

    “If the commission had consulted the states before choosing the date, it would not have settled for November 2.

    “We hope that the commission will reason with the governor and reschedule the election to another day. We are still waiting for the response of INEC to the letter”.

    Speaking on the matter, the General Overseer of the Royal House Grace International Church, Apostle Zilly Aggrey, listed the Thanksgiving Day Law as one of the star achievements of Dickson.

    He emphasised the importance of the Thanksgiving Day and urged the Chairman of the Independent National Chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmud to shift the Bayelsa election.

    He appealed to the INEC chairman to show respect for God by shifting the election to another day.

  • Dickson rejects life pension for lawmakers

    Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson has withdrawn his assent on the controversial bill passed by the House of Assembly seeking life pension for lawmakers.

    According to the Commissioner for Information, Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Dickson’s decline was conveyed in a letter yesterday to Speaker of the Assembly Kombowei Benson.

    The governor was said to have met with the lawmakers in his country home of Toru-Orua, where he explained his reasons for declining assent.

    According to him, the bill was inconsistent with Section 124 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

    Dickson argued that the Assembly lacked the powers to expand the categories of public servants who should be entitled to pension.

    He lamented that the state was bedevilled with a lot of challenges following low Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and unstable earnings from the oil economy. He added that if allowed to become law, Bayelsa would be the only state to come up with such legislation.

    According to the governor, he was guided by the principle that government should not be for a select class of the privileged, and he would not discard that over seven years into his administration.

    He said the lawmakers, and indeed Nigerians, would attest to the fact that all decisions of his administration were guided by the strong urge to protect public interest and promote the general good.

    The letter reads: “The provisions of this Bill granting pension to members of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, and the extension of same to former members of the Assembly and Bayelsa indigenes who served in the Old Rivers State House of Assembly, is inconsistent with Section 124 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

    “I am not convinced about the legality of this Bill which seeks to expand the categories of persons entitled to pension. While I agree that the Assembly can adjust the quantum of pension payable to persons entitled to it, I am not convinced that the House has powers to add to the categories of pensionable public officers.

    “Evidently, there is no record of any other state in this country that has expanded the categories of pensionable public officers to include lawmakers. I do not agree that Bayelsa, which is coping with all the myriads of issues and challenges, with our low Internally Generated Revenue base and the unpredictable oil economy, should be the first to initiate this.

    “Honourable members of this Assembly, Bayelsans and other Nigerians following our progress as a government would clearly attest to the fact that my entire public service, actions and decisions are marked by what is in the public interest, particularly the interest of the vulnerable, ordinary people.

    “It is in the service of these people that in the last seven years and counting, I have extended the frontiers of the benefits of purposeful democratic governance. It is my philosophy that government should not be for a select few. In the last seven years, my actions and decisions, which have sometimes elicited opposition from the elite who have been feeding fat on the resources of our state, have been marked by this singular disposition of mine.

    “I do not intend to abandon that. Rather, I intend to do more and to consolidate on the policies and actions which have been taken to protect the vulnerable. Therefore, I am unable to assent to this bill which, in my view, aims to expand and consolidate the class interest of a privileged few.

    “The quest to protect the vulnerable against the privileged few inspired the populist programmes of my administration, which include the Bayelsa Health Insurance Scheme with over 150,000 beneficiaries, the Education Trust Fund, the scholarship programmes supporting our young people in their studies both locally and outside the country; the various empowerment programmes; support for the aged; the most vulnerable; massive employment; public housing and a number of other social intervention programmes which are already taking root.”

    Coalitions of Bayelsa State elders, founding fathers and youths have praised Dickson for withholding assent on the controversial life pension bill.

    The coalition, led by the Embasara Foundation, lambasted the lawmakers for passing a bill to award life pensions to themselves at the expense of the masses and the state’s development.

    A joint statement read by the Chairman, Media Committee, Embasara Foundation, Dr. Ayakeme Whisky, described the lawmaker’s action as repugnant.

    According to him, carving out pensions as the latest tool for self-enrichment and perpetuation of personal interests was a subversion of the trust of the electorate.

    The statement reads: “Under Nigeria’s constitutionalism, pensions are the exclusive preserve of civil servants, not political office holders, who are public servants but not civil servants.

    “This new dimension to law-making in a state where successive administrations have failed to settle backlogs of pensions and gratuities shows a clear lack of respect for the civil service as a vital institution, an erosion of moral values and a disturbing sense of entitlement among political officers.

    “The failure of the House to hold a public hearing on the bill, a failure that is now a sad habit in the state’s peculiar practice of legislation, suggests that the lawmakers who sponsored and supported this bill were driven by base motives.”

  • Breaking: Dickson rejects life pension bill for lawmakers

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has withdrawn his assent on controversial bill passed by state House of Assembly seeking life pension for lawmakers.

    Commissioner for Information, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, quoted Dickson as conveying the decision to decline assent to the bill in a letter to the Speaker of the Assembly, Kombowei Benson, on Monday.

    The governor was said to have held consultations with the Assembly members in his country home of Toru-Orua, where he explained his reason for declining assent.

    Iworiso-Markson quoted the governor as saying that the bill was inconsistent with Section 124 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

    Dickson argued that the State Assembly lacked the powers to expand the categories of public servants who should be entitled to pension.

    He said the state was bedeviled with a lot of challenges following low internally generated revenue base and unstable earnings from the oil economy.

    He added that if allowed to become law, Bayelsa would be the only state out of Nigeria’s 36 states to come up with such legislation.

    The governor said that he was guided in the decision by the principle that government should not be for a select class of the privileged in the society, and would not discard it over seven years into his administration.

    He said the lawmakers and indeed the Nigerian populace would attest to the fact that all decisions of his administration were guided by the strong urge to protect the public interest and promote the general good.

    Read Also: Bayelsa 2019: Who will succeed Dickson?

    He said: “The provisions of this Bill granting pension to members of Bayelsa State House òf Assembly and the extension of same to former members of the Assembly and Bayelsa indigenes who served in the Old Rivers State House of Assembly, is inconsistent with Section 124 of the Constitution òf the Federal Republic of Nigeria as amended.

    “I am not convinced about the legality of this Billl which seeks to expand the categories of persons entitled to pension.

    “While I agree that the Assembly can adjust the quantum of pension payable to persons entitled to pension, I am not convinced that the House has powers to add to the categories of pensionable public officers.

    “Evidently, there is no record of any other state in this country that has expanded the categories of pensionable public officers to include lawmakers.

    “I do not agree that Bayelsa which is coping with all the myriads of issues and challenges, with our low Internally Generated Revenue base and the unpredictable oil economy,  should be the first to initiate this.

    “Honourable members of this Assembly, Bayelsans and other Nigerians following our progress as a government would clearly attest to the fact that my entire public service, actions and decisions are marked by what is in the public interest, particularly the interest of the vulnerable, ordinary people.

    “It is in the service of this category of people that in the last seven years and counting, I have in an unprecedented manner which only history will record and reward, extended the frontiers of the benefits of purposeful democratic governance.

    “It is my philosophy that government should not be for a select few. In the last seven years, my actions and decisions which have sometimes elicited opposition from the elite who have been feeding fat on the resources of our State, have been marked by this singular disposition of mine.

    “And I do not intend at this point to abandon that. Rather I intend to do more and to consolidate on the policies and actions which have been taken to protect the vulnerable.

    “Therefore, I am unable to assent to this bill which in my view aims to expand and consolidate the class interest of a privileged few.”

  • SERAP asks Dickson to reject life pension for Bayelsa lawmakers

    Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State to reject the proposed life pension bill by the leader of the House of Assembly Peter Akpe.

    He was also urged to prevail upon the State’s House of Assembly to immediately withdraw the self-serving bill.”

    SERAP said it would institute legal proceedings to challenge the legality of the legislation and ensure full compliance with constitutional provisions and Nigeria’s international anti-corruption.

    The request was contained in an open letter dated April 26, 2019 and signed by SERAP Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare,

    The State Assembly had last week passed a bill that would grant life pensions to speakers, deputy speakers and other members.

    Under the bill, speakers will go home with N500,000 monthly, while deputy speakers will receive N200,000; 24 other members will each get N100,000.

    The House is seeking life pensions for members similar to those “applicable to former presidents, vice-presidents, governors and deputy governors across the country.”

    But reacting to the development yesterday, SERAP said: “Public officials have a legal commitment to discharge a public duty truthfully and faithfully.

    The organization said the bill amounts to an incorrect and improper performance of public functions and an abuse of legislative functions by the lawmakers.

    Rather than sponsoring bills that would improve access of children in Bayelsa to quality education, it berated the lawmakers for taking advantage of their entrusted public positions to propose a bill to collect large severance benefits.

    According to the organization: “The lawmakers are clearly the major beneficiaries under the proposed legislation. Therefore, bypassing the life pension bill, the lawmakers of Bayelsa State House of Assembly have violated the constitutional and international prohibitions on conflicts of interest.”

    The letter read in part: “The people of Bayelsa would expect you, as their governor, to use your entrusted public office to act in the public interest, including by rejecting the life pension bill and prevailing upon the House of Assembly to immediately drop the bill.

    “Conflicts of interest, as well as perceptions of such conflicts, would undermine public confidence in the integrity and honesty of not only the Bayelsa State House of Assembly but also your government, if urgent action is not taken to prevail upon the House to drop the outrageous bill.

    “SERAP notes that Bayelsa State has in recent years received trillions of Naira from the federation account. Yet, according to the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), over 265,000 Nigerian children lack access to basic education in the State. The public funds that would be spent to pay life pensions to the lawmakers could be well used to address the problem of growing rate of out-of-school children in the state.

    “It is forbidden for any public official including lawmakers to engage in self-dealing, and place him/herself in a position of conflicting interests and to hold incompatible functions or illicitly engage in providing to him/herself emoluments deemed unacceptable, unconstitutional and illegal.”

    “In the Seventh Schedule to the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended), you commit to strive to ‘preserve the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy contained in the Constitution, [and not to] allow my personal interest to influence my official conduct or my official decisions’. You also commit to: protect and defend the constitution, and to ‘do right to all manner of people according to law [and to] devote myself to the service and well-being of the people of Nigeria’.

    “Constitutional oath of office requires public officials including lawmakers to abstain from all improper acts, including passing the life pension bill, that are inconsistent with the entrusted positions and the overall objectives of the Constitution. We believe that a false oath lacks truth and justice. The oath statements require the oath takers to commit to uphold and defend the Constitution.

    “It is estimated that hundreds of lawmakers will benefit from the life pension proposed legislation, which will invariably cost Bayelsa State at least N20 million taxpayers’ money monthly. This amount will increase in subsequent years.

    “SERAP believes that the action by the lawmakers is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with the object and purpose of the UN Convention against Corruption, to which Nigeria is a state party and which implicitly prohibits large severance benefits for public officials such as members of Bayelsa State House of Assembly.

    “The convention, which is binding on all states of the federation, specifically in paragraph 1 of article 8 requires the lawmakers to promote integrity, honesty and responsibility in the management of public resources”, it stated.

  • Bayelsa holds council elections July 27

    Bayelsa State at the weekend said it would hold its local government elections on July 27, 2019, about three months to the state’s November 2nd governorship election.

    Since 2011, the eight local government areas had been under the administration of caretaker committee chairpersons appointed by the state Governor, Seriake Dickson.

    But the Chairman of the State Independent Electoral Commission (SIEC) Dr. Perekeme Bertola released a timetable for the elections into the councils.

    Read Also: Bayelsa Assembly members get life pensions

    Bertola promised to uphold the tenets of democracy and conduct free, fair, credible and conclusive elections.

    The chairman said he would synergize with all stakeholders and hold regular consultative meetings to ensure a hitch-free polls.

    Most of the stakeholders present at the meeting including some political parties described the move as a welcome development expressing their readiness to mobilize voters to participate in the elections.