The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Seriake Dickson

  • Bayelsa election can’t be rigged -Dickson

    Bayelsa election can’t be rigged -Dickson

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on Monday declared that the December 5 governorship election cannot be rigged by anybody.

    Dickson in a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said the election would be decided by the will of the people based on the antecedents of the contenders.

    The governor said: “Let me assure you all Bayelsans that the fear of rigging in this election, reasonable as it sounds, will not be possible. Nobody can rig this election, because the whole world will be in Bayelsa to monitor the process.

    “Your votes will count. When you vote on election day, wait and be a monitor yourself. There will be adequate security and all key federal institutions that will be saddled with the task of conducting the election such as INEC and law enforcement agencies will be fully on ground to ensure there are no hitches or give room for manipulation in favour of a particular candidate.”

    He urged members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) to return to their initial party without further delay and join him in his re-election for the development of the state.

    Dickson said his appeal was borne out of his feelings that the defectors were being humiliated and betrayed by the state leadership of the APC.

    According to him, the defectors had been rendered onlookers in their quest for political participation and relevance.

    He said the opposition party did not represent any viable alternative to peace, unity and development of the state.

    He alleged that the APC leadership in the state had a repressive and retrogressive past, which would not serve any better purpose in the current dispensation.

    Dickson stressed that the forthcoming election was not about him, but for the greater good of the state.

     

  • PDP, Sylva trade words ahead of Bayelsa poll

    PDP, Sylva trade words ahead of Bayelsa poll

    … Sylva not electable – Party

    … Dickson will soon be history – Ex-governor

    Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bayelsa State chapter, and the Campaign Organisation of Timipre Sylva, on Friday attacked each other verbally over the candidacy of the All Progressive Congress (APC) flag bearer for the December 5 governorship election.

    Sylva, who emerged the APC candidate, will slug it out with the sole candidate of the PDP and incumbent state Governor, Seriake Dickson.

    But the PDP said Sylva is not electable.

    The state Secretary of PDP, Keku Godspower, in a statement in Yenagoa on Friday, said the emergence of Sylva was a shame and insult to the collective sensibilities of people of Bayelsa and APC members.

    Keku said APC’s decision was an indication that it was not prepared for any serious outing in the election because “everybody in Bayelsa knows that Sylva is not electable.”

    He, however, claimed that since Sylva’s emergence, there was palpable fear, tension and apprehension among people of Bayelsa following the violence that marred the recent APC primary in the state.

    Keku also alleged that Sylva had a record of violence and that his second coming would not be different.

    He alleged that since the primary, the state had witnessed the influx of cultists and militants.

    He added that the development, if not checked, could lead to relapse of violence in the state and the entire Niger Delta region.

    Keku, however, said he was confident that possible violence would be contained by security agencies, assuring the people that the state would deal with anyone caught breaching the peace or molesting anyone.

    He advised Bayelsans to go about their lawful businesses without fear of intimidation, urging them to report any suspicious character to security agencies.

    He asked the people to vote for PDP and also called on the Federal Government to direct its security agencies to take urgent steps to ensure the security of lives and property in the state.

    But Sylva’s campaign organisation in a statement signed by Doifie Buokoribo, said the PDP was jittery because its candidate, Dickson, would soon become history.

    He said: “We know the PDP game plan was to prevent the emergence of a strong and popular APC governorship candidate so that they can easily repeat their trademark shenanigan of aborting democratic competition and stealing victory without a contest.

    “With that deception, they stole the mandate of the people in 2011, when both Chief Timipre Sylva and Mr. Ndutimi Alaibe were dubiously excluded just to give Hon. Henry Dickson victory without a real electoral contest.

    “All the frenzied disparagement of Sylva now by PDP is an understandable manifestation of fear and frustration over their impending, indubitable defeat at the December 5 election. That frenzy is understandable. We will make Dickson history.”

  • Dickson dismisses ex- aide’s ‘non-payment of salaries’ claim

    Dickson dismisses ex- aide’s ‘non-payment of salaries’ claim

    The Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Seriake Dickson, on Thursday denied owing his former Senior Special Assistant on Non-Indigenes, Chief Chinedu Mba, one year salary arrears and allowances.

    Dickson in a statement signed by his Special Adviser on Treasury and Accounts, Mr. Timipre Seipulou, said Mba was ungrateful and called on members of the public to ignore him.

    Mba recently resigned his appointment, citing among other things non-payment of salaries and allowances, daily intimidation and harassment from the office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and confiscation of his official car.

    But the governor described the claims as false, malicious and a well calculated attempt to impugn on his reputation.

    [ad id=”403656″]According to him, the government has always lived up to its financial obligations to workers and was “not owing any of his aides including Mbah.”

    He said: “available financial records reveal that Mbah was paid his remunerations to date just like any other political appointee in the state before his purported claim of resignation.

    “Mbah is only acting the script of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and particularly for his master and former Chief of Staff to Governor Dickson and now an APC governorship aspirant, Chief Dikivie Ikiogha, who recommended him for appointment.

    “Going by the facts on ground, it is clear that it is only a desperate and ungrateful man that can make such malicious claims.”

    He said the claims were politically motivated and a deliberate attempt to smear the good image of the government.

    He said the government was not perturbed by Mbah’s resignation, adding that the former aide had since crossed to the APC with his master and benefactor.

     

     

  • Why I’m seeking reelection in Bayelsa, by Dickson

    Why I’m seeking reelection in Bayelsa, by Dickson

    Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson has said he is seeking re-election to consolidate on the gains recorded by his administration in the last three and half years.

    Governor Dickson, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Bayelsa State ahead of the December 5 governorship polls, is optimistic that his party will be victorious at the polls.

    The governor spoke at the weekend at the national secretariat of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja after submitting his governorship nomination/ expression of intent form to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha.

    “You can only win election if you are in charge of the grass roots. The PDP produced all members of the National Assemble, 22 out of the 24 members of the state House of Assembly, 105 out of 105 councilors, the entire eight council chairmen and several government appointees who cut across all units, wards and local governments of the state. Will these people fold their hands and watch the opposition write results, certainly no,’’ he said.

    Governor Dickson spoke at the weekend at the national secretariat of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) in Abuja after submitting his governorship nomination/ expression of intent form to the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Mustapha.

    Dickson was accompanied to Wadata House by the Director General of the Restoration Campaign Organisation, Hon Fred Agbedi, the first executive governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamiesiegha, all current members of both Bayelsa State House of Assembly and National Assembly, former Speaker and Deputy Governor of the state, Chief Peremobowei Ebebi, former speaker of the State House of Assembly, Boyelayefa Debekeme.

    Others on his entourage were PDP chieftain, Chief George Fente, political strategist, Chief Bekis Etifa, former senator representing Bayelsa East, Chief Barigha Amange, youth group led by the REYNET DG, Mr. Alfred Kemepado, select former commissioners and house members, women groups, some friends of Bayelsa and a host of others.

    Upbeat, Dickson the PDP is the party to beat on December 5 and called on Nigerians to discard the ‘‘ranting’’ of those who defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with a wave of the hand.

    The governor described the APC in Bayelsa as a congress of propagandists and perennial governorship aspirants who have never won election and do not have the structure and goodwill to win on December 5.

    He declared: “Without sounding immodest, there are no candidates in APC to pose any threat to my re-election. The APC in Bayelsa has no members; all of them are governorship aspirants who want power to put the state in reverse gear. The PDP members who have defected to APC are traitors and crass opportunists who had benefitted so much from PDP and jumped to APC after its victory to take advantage of PDP’s suddenly loss of power at the centre. If APC loses tomorrow, they will return to PDP! They have all had opportunists in the past to develop Bayelsa and the Niger Delta and they all failed. They are not on ground. Electoral victory is not conjured, it is delivered by the people and the party structure which we have and the APC doesn’t have and that is why they plan to take over Bayelsa by force, by getting INEC and police to write result.

    “But I’m confident that federal might will fail them because it has never worked in Bayelsa. The APC does not stand a chance in Bayelsa because the people trust me and they believe in my capacity to deliver as I have done in the last three and half years. The restoration government that I head has verifiable achievements on ground to speak for my re-election.’’

    The governor who will formally announce his re-election bid in Yenagoa on Tuesday expressed optimism that, with the assurances of his party’s National Working Committee, the PDP governorship primary will be free and fair and expressed his readiness to subject himself to the process in line with the laws of the land.

  • Ex-chief of staff dares Dickson on government properties

    Former Chief of Staff to Bayelsa State governor, Chief Dikivie Ikiogha, on Wednesday challenged Governor Seriake Dickson to name government properties in his possession.

    A report emanating from Government House, Yenagoa, accused Ikiogha, who is one of the leading All Progressive Congress governorship aspirants in the state of failing to return government properties in their possession six months after resigning from his position.

    Ikiogha, a close associate of former President Goodluck Jonathan, was at the vanguard of the campaign that made Dickson the governor in 2012.

    He was appointed the Chief of Staff, Government House, Yenagoa but was later moved to the state office in Abuja.

    His efforts to get the ticket of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the House of Representatives in the last general election were frustrated by the party.

    He was one of the first friends of Jonathan to dump the PDP for APC with his numerous supporters in a carnival-like event held in Yenagoa.

    A source from Government House who spoke in confidence said the government has ordered Ikiogha to return all properties in his possession.

    He claimed that in defiance to the civil service rules, the former Chief of Staff only returned some properties but retained others in his custody.

    The source said: “In accordance with the administration’s principle of transparency and accountability, the government reported the matter to the police, no public officer, after leaving office has the right to withhold government properties.

    “However, instead of doing the needful by returning the remaining properties in his possession, the former Chief of staff headed for court, asking for injunction to stop police from arresting him. Ikiogha, after leaving office as the Chief of Staff, Abuja office is still having some government properties in his custody.

    “It is clearly stated in the public/civil service rules that any official that is leaving the office should handover properties in his/her possessions to the most senior officer in the Ministry, Department or Agencies.

     

    In a swift reaction, Ikiogha said there was no government properties in his possession and dared the governor to name the items.

    Describing the governor as a drowning man, Ikiogha said Dickson was after him because he (the governor) was nursing fears that he would emerge as the candidate of the APC and his rival in the December 5 governorship election.

  • Why Bayelsa suspended payment of gratuity – Dickson

    Why Bayelsa suspended payment of gratuity – Dickson

    The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday said dwindling revenue accruing to the state from the Federation Account forced him to suspend payment of backlog of gratuity he inherited from his predecessor.

    The governor spoke while inaugurating the 22 newly appointed permanent secretaries expected to fill existing vacancies in the state civil service.

    He expressed concern over issues bordering on gratuity and called on the affected retirees to be patient with the government.

    He noted that his administration was set out at the beginning to clear the backlog but was later hit with the realities of dwindling revenue.

    He said: “But by next year, we will unfold a process by which we will begin to pay off the long accumulated gratuity payment, because that is a very serious problem that this government inherited.

    “We are very concerned about that and I like to use this opportunity to call on those pensioners and members of the public service to bear with us.

    “You are all aware that it was this government that started the N250million monthly installment payment. But it was when the economy took a dive for the worst that we couldn’t continue. So that is a problem we acknowledge it exists. But we will work together to solve it.”

    Dickson also inaugurated a new Special Adviser on Inter-Governmental Affairs, Mr. Austin Adigio to replace Chief Rufus Abadi, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressive Congress (APC).

    The governor also reconstituted the Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board, Hospitals Management Board, Scholarships Board and the Post Primary Schools Board.

    He said the new permanent secretaries were appointed strictly on merit and in recognition of their hard work and contributions to the state public service over the years.

     

  • Ex-lawmaker to Dickson: Account for N660bn revenue from FAAC

    A two-time member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Warman Ogoriba, on Wednesday asked the Bayelsa State Governor, Mr. Seriake Dickson, to explain to the state what he did with over N660billion his administration received from the Federation Account.

    Ogoriba, who recently joined the All Progressive Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), alleged that there was nothing on ground to show that the state has so far received that kind of money.

    He said: “Governor Seriake Dickson does not have respect for his people. He is authoritarian, he feels he knows everything and does not want to listen to anyone.

    “Since Dickson became governor, he has never inaugurated any tangible project. He is also disconnected from the people as he does not interact with his people to get quality information that will help his government.

    “As at last month, July, Bayelsa has received N660billion from the Federal Government, excluding the revenues generated from the state. I have the proof and it can be verified. We demand Dickson to show the world what he has used the money for and what kind of development he has done.

    “The governor has lost the people’s trust. Any government that has lost the trust of his people is a failed government.

    He said that President Muhammadu Buhari has the capacity to give Nigerians the change they deserved, adding that the President has demonstrated his leadership prowess and desire to put smiles on the face of the citizens.

  • Gang up against PDP will fail – Bayelsa elders

    Gang up against PDP will fail – Bayelsa elders

    Elders from Bayelsa State and founding members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Friday rose from a crucial meeting and declared that the party would surmount its challenges and triumph in the December 5 governorship election.
    The elders, who met particularly to review the ongoing defections of PDP stalwarts to the All Progressive Congress (APC) ahead of the election, said they were not losing sleep over the development.

    One of the elders and PDP founding father, Chief George Fente, said persons who left the PDP and others leaving on Saturday after enjoying all the party’s benefits were ungrateful and selfish.

    Over 70 PDP stalwarts and 500 others will on Saturday join the APC in a rally scheduled to hold at the Samson Siasia Sports Complex.

    But Fente said: “We know very well that some of our members in the PDP are leaving today. Why did they not defect before? They have enjoyed all the benefits in PDP. They have chosen to dump a party that has made them. They are ungrateful.

    “These defectors are political locust and they are gravitating towards an abysmal chasm of destruction. They will implode in APC and they will start running back to PDP. We are still advising them to come back because the umbrella is big enough to accommodate them.”

    Reading the collective position of the elders, the Chairman of the Committee of the Restoration Caucus Chairmen, Chief Thompson Okorotie, said majority of Bayelsans were behind the Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson.

    “We hear of defection these days even though some of the listed people have denied the claims of the opposition and that shows there is no coherence or totality in their claims.

    “However, we wish to state that those defections will have no impact on our route to success in the forthcoming primaries and the gubernatorial elections,” Okorotie said.

    He said the administration of Dickson has recorded many strides in different sectors of the state economy adding that the governor started his government with a sound blueprint.

    He named the governor’s achievements in road infrastructure, agriculture, tourism, economic investment promotion and housing.

    He said despite the dwindling revenue which had affected all the states, Dickson was still paying salaries of workers.

    Okorotie who noted that the governor has created enabling environment for investment, observed that pockets of criminalities especially kidnapping in the state were politically motivated by evil forces.

    He named other achievements of the governor as attraction of investors to the state; increased economic activities; opening up of rural areas and ongoing efforts by the government to complete mega projects by processing N25 billion loan.

    He said: “it is important that we don’t lose sight of the accountability and transparency policy which the government is running in Bayelsa State. Owing to the governor’s prudence in financial management, Bayelsa State is not only paying workers’ salaries promptly but is also not listed among high profile debtor states.

    “The transparency briefing by the government which gives an account of inflow and outflow and the moneys received from Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) is based on exemplary law, first of its kind in Nigeria which the governor is saying he should be impeached if he does not do so for more than three months.”

  • Explosion: Bayelsa demands forensic investigation, knocks Agip

    Explosion: Bayelsa demands forensic investigation, knocks Agip

    Bayelsa State Government has called for a forensic investigation into the explosion that rocked a pipeline belonging to the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) at Azuzuama, Southern Ijaw local government area of the state.

    At least 13 people, including an employee of the state Ministry of Environment and security personnel, were killed in the incident.

    Four other persons were also seriously wounded.

    Rattled by the development, the state’s governor, Seriake Dickson, on Thursday summoned officials of NAOC to Yenagoa for an emergency meeting. But the managing director of NAOC was absent at the meeting.

    The governor expressed displeasure over reports accusing the company of lack of compliance to environmentally accepted standards in its operations in the state.

    He vowed to explore all legal means to seek redress on the sad incident and serial abuse of environment if outcome of the final report by the investigating team indicts NAOC.

    He said the team had been constituted and it comprised experts from all relevant agencies.

    The governor urged oil companies and other corporate organisations to operate in line with international standards.

    He expressed dismay at the absence of NAOC’s managing director at the meeting, saying that henceforth he would want to relate directly with the Chief Executive Officer when discussing weighty issues.

    He consoled the families that lost their loved ones to the incident and restated his administration’s commitment to the protection of the environment against any further destruction by oil companies.

  • PDP blasts Bayelsa elder over attack on Dickson’s government

    The Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Saturday accused Chief Alex Ekiotenne, an elder of the party and former adviser to Governor Seriake Dickson of hypocrisy and greed.

    The party said insatiable quest for money was the real reason why the elder statesmen and his Likes abandoned the Bayelsa State Government.

    PDP said Ekiotenne and other elders in the Bayelsa Peoples Consultative Assembly (BPCA), who are against the re-election of the governor, were only after their selfish interest against the collective interest of the state.

    Ekiotenne, a former supporter of Dickson, told journalist that he opted out of the governor’s administration because he (Dickson) disappointed Bayelsans.

    He said the governor derailed from the consultative approach to developmental programmes and transparency objectives of his government.

    According to him, Dickson without consultations embarked on many projects in one swoop without considerations to prioritisation, strategic needs and funding prospects.

    But PDP in a statement signed by its Publicity Secretary, Mr. Osom Macbere, condemned the action of Ekiotenne, describing it as most embarrassing and disgraceful.

    He said the elder has remained one of the major beneficiaries of the Dickson administration.