Dickson’s ex-aides dump PDP for APC

Two ex-aides of Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in the state.

The defection took place on Saturday when the APC candidate in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, took his campaign tour to the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area ahead of the December 5 governorship poll.

The new defectors are Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Furoebi Akene, who resigned his appointment penultimate week, and Dickson’s Special Representative to Southern Ijaw, Apreala Pereladei.

The two, who said they had defected to the APC with their supporters, insisted that the APC represented the needed change that would accelerate the socio-economic and political development of the state.

The Southern Ijaw, home to Dickson’s strong allies such as his Chief of Staff, Government House, Talford Ongol; late former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; and Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson, is believed to be a major battle ground for Dickson and Sylva in the December poll.

Of the total 663,639 number of registered voters released on November 5, 2015 by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the election, Southern Ijaw has 120,827 voters, second only to the Yenagoa Local Government, which has 139,777 voters.

Among the major towns in the Southern Ijaw area, where Sylva campaigned on Saturday, were Otuan, Amassoma, Koluama, Foropa and Oporoma, headquarters of the council.

Addressing supporters after the defectors were welcomed into the APC by the party’s Chairman, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe, Sylva assured them that the party had come to change their lives from poverty to wealth.

He urged them to embrace the APC if they wanted development and progress.

He said that the Southern Ijaw was a strong stakeholder in APC because his running mate, Wilberforce Igiri, and the state chairman of the party, Tiwei Orunimighe, were indigenes of the area.

Sylva said, “Oporoma people, Southern Ijaw people, if you want development and progress, it is APC. The opposition party is dead. We have buried it in Abuja. We will also bury it in Bayelsa.

“On December 5, vote for me and my deputy. After victory, we will sit down and look at how to bring peace to Bayelsa, companies will come, and there will be jobs and enjoyment.”

Dickson’s ex-aides dump PDP for APC

Dickson’s ex-aides dump PDP for APC

Two ex-aides of Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson have defected from the Peoples Democratic Party to the All Progressives Congress in the state.

The defection took place on Saturday when the APC candidate in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva, took his campaign tour to the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area ahead of the December 5 governorship poll.

The new defectors are Commissioner for Lands and Survey, Furoebi Akene, who resigned his appointment penultimate week, and Dickson’s Special Representative to Southern Ijaw, Apreala Pereladei.

The two, who said they had defected to the APC with their supporters, insisted that the APC represented the needed change that would accelerate the socio-economic and political development of the state.

The Southern Ijaw, home to Dickson’s strong allies such as his Chief of Staff, Government House, Talford Ongol; late former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha; and Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Konbowei Benson, is believed to be a major battle ground for Dickson and Sylva in the December poll.

Of the total 663,639 number of registered voters released on November 5, 2015 by the Independent National Electoral Commission for the election, Southern Ijaw has 120,827 voters, second only to the Yenagoa Local Government, which has 139,777 voters.

Among the major towns in the Southern Ijaw area, where Sylva campaigned on Saturday, were Otuan, Amassoma, Koluama, Foropa and Oporoma, headquarters of the council.

Addressing supporters after the defectors were welcomed into the APC by the party’s Chairman, Chief Tiwei Orunimighe, Sylva assured them that the party had come to change their lives from poverty to wealth.

He urged them to embrace the APC if they wanted development and progress.

He said that the Southern Ijaw was a strong stakeholder in APC because his running mate, Wilberforce Igiri, and the state chairman of the party, Tiwei Orunimighe, were indigenes of the area.

Sylva said, “Oporoma people, Southern Ijaw people, if you want development and progress, it is APC. The opposition party is dead. We have buried it in Abuja. We will also bury it in Bayelsa.

“On December 5, vote for me and my deputy. After victory, we will sit down and look at how to bring peace to Bayelsa, companies will come, and there will be jobs and enjoyment.”

Dickson’s ex-aides dump PDP for APC

l have no problem with Sylva – Dickson

The Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, at the weekend declared that he has no personal problem with the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate in the December 5 governorship election in the state, Chief Timipre Sylva.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson

The governor pledged to award a contract for the construction of Brass/Nembe road if re-elected for a second term.

The road leads to Okpoama, the community of Sylva.

Dickson, who is the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the election, spoke when he took his community-based campaign tour to Sylva’s country home.

He assured them of his administration’s resolve to award the multi billion Naira Nembe/Brass Road during the first quarter of 2016, if re-elected for a second term in office.

He said the award of the contract would add to the ongoing Ogbia/Nembe road project and other developmental work in the area.

Dickson, who was received by the Okpoama Council of Chiefs, commended the people of the area for their support.

He said the reception was a testimony that the people of Brass local government area were in support of the PDP-led administration.

Dickson said the Brass/Nembe road would be given due attention as to enable his administration achieve its policy of exploring the Atlantic Ocean to enhance socio-economic development.

According to him, clearing and sand-filling would be done as soon as the project is awarded to a competent contractor.

Speaking on the State Maritime Academy sited in Okpoma by the present administration, Dickson expressed concern that the institution had yet to function as expected because of financial constraints.

He explained that his administration went into partnership with the Polish government, noting that the application for the project was not successful.

The governor said he has no personal problems with the candidate of the main opposition party in the state.

l have no problem with Sylva – Dickson

Dickson commends Buhari for disclosing Nigeria economic status

Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, has commended President Muhammadu Buhari for disclosing the economic status of the country.

Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson

Dickson urged Bayelsa people to brace for the harsh financial situation facing the state.

He spoke at a meeting with the new Special Advisers at Government House, Yenagoa, a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, said on Thursday.

The governor said the way out of the present economic doldrums is diversification from oil and gas sector of the economy.

Dickson said, “Already, you are all aware of the statement by the President that our country is in a very dire financial situation. That comment has attracted a lot of criticisms, but I agree with the president that Nigerians are entitled to know the true state of the economy.

“Investors who want to do business in Nigeria are entitled to know the true state of our economy. Let me use this opportunity to call on all Bayelsans to listen to what the President has said that the entire country is broke.

“He has made us to understand that the financial situation that we are managing is a national phenomenon. It is not peculiar to Bayelsa.

“For the allocation of last month, the Federation Account Allocation Committee could not meet until the past month because they didn’t have money to share to the state and even when they met for the first time since I took over as governor, states have started getting zero allocation.

“I don’t know why people are blaming the president for saying that our country is broke because that is the truth about the economy. States can’t pay salaries, we can’t meet our basic responsibilities. I can’t pay allowances to myself and my staff.

“However, even in the midst of that we are managing to pay salaries. Even in this terrible month, we’ve directed that by Monday salaries of workers should be paid.”

He charged his appointees to bring their wealth of experience to bear in the present administration’s efforts to consolidate on its achievements.

According to him, the new aides are coming into government at a crucial moment of election and therefore, urged them to join forces with other critical stakeholders of the Peoples Democratic Party to mobilise support for the party in the forthcoming election.

He asked them to work closely with the state economic team to resuscitate the Bayelsa Palm Limited as the future of the state economy rests on agriculture, industrial development and tourism.

The newly sworn in appointees are Chief Lambert Ototo, Special Adviser on Agriculture and Mr. Olaitari Ikemike, Special Adviser on Industrial Development.

Dickson commends Buhari for disclosing Nigeria economic status

APC accuses Dickson of squandering N88bn loan

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

Bayelsa State 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.”

APC accuses Dickson of squandering N88bn loan

Patience Jonathan settles rift with Seriake Dickson

There is a strong indication that the rift between the wife of former President Goodluck Jonathan, Patience, and Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has ended.

Mrs. Patience Jonathan
| credits: kenetomagazine.blogspot.com

It was learnt on Wednesday that Mrs. Jonathan has announced her decision to bury the hatchet with Dickson and directed all her loyalists in the state to work selflessly for the Peoples Democratic Party and the re-election of the incumbent in the forthcoming governorship election.

It was further learnt that the decision of Patience to set aside her differences with the governor has led to a major boost in the second term bid of Dickson.

It was gathered from close aides of Patience that the decision to support the PDP and the second term bid of Dickson was to stop the All Progressives Congress from defeating the PDP in Bayelsa and, therefore, disgrace her husband in his home state.

But other associates claimed that Patience’s decision to reconcile with Dickson was based on the series of interventions by some Bayelsa elders, including former Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

Due to this change of mind, Patience was said to have directed her followers and loyalists including a former Special Adviser to the President on Domestic Matters, Dr. Waripamowei Dudafa, to work for Dickson.

Dudafa is also said to be at loggerheads with Dickson over his alleged anti-PDP activities and sponsorship of some candidates of the All Progressive Grand Alliance.

A close relative of Jonathan and a former Commissioner for Special Duties (Federal Project), Mike Ogiasa, confirmed the processes that led to the reconciliation between Dickson and Mrs. Jonathan.

He said, “The Jonathans are known to me. As a close family member, I know her very well. She can suppress her anger against someone and do the right thing. As I am talking to you, I believe, as a typical PDP woman, she can never support another political party against the choice of the PDP.

“In politics, there is unity in diversity. People disagree to agree. It was not a hidden fact that Governor Dickson was at loggerheads with Dame Patience Jonathan. But it is also true that by human nature, she may not have supported Dickson. But she has weighed it and discovered that the election is beyond Dickson.

“She cannot now because of anger allow Bayelsa to be under the APC.

“Though I don’t know who she is supporting, I know that she can never vote the APC against the PDP.”

Patience Jonathan settles rift with Seriake Dickson

Dickson expels Jonathan’s loyalists over alleged anti-party activities

The Bayelsa State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party on Tuesday expelled nine of its members from the party over alleged anti-party activities in the last general elections.

The expulsion of the members, said to be President Goodluck Jonathan’s henchmen in the party, was allegedly orchestrated by Governor Seriake Dickson.

The decision for the expulsion was contained in a statement presented to journalists by the state acting chairman of the party, Chief Serena Dokubo-Spiff, at its secretariat in Yenagoa, the state capital.

The affected members are Senator Nimi Barigha-Amange, Mr. Nestor Binabo, Chief Werinipre Seibarugu, Mr. Waripamowei Dudafa and Mr. Chamberlain Kren Ikidi.

Others are Mr. Osomkime Blankson, Mr. Emmanuel Okponipre, Mr. Ebikapade Dibiya and Joyce Fouyowei.

The expulsion came just as the ‘suspended’ Chairman of the party, Col. Sam Inokoba (retd.), accused Dickson of impunity.

He said the disciplinary committee set up by the state working committee and its leader was illegal, null and void.

Dickson expels Jonathan’s loyalists over alleged anti-party activities

I didn’t sack my aides because of Patience Jonathan - Dickson

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The Governor of Bayelsa State, Mr. Seriake Dickson, has said he didn’t sack any of his aides because of their alleged closeness to the wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan.

He said the sacking was done because of his determination to inject new hands into the government.

This information was contained in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Daniel Iworiso-Markson, a copy of which was made available to our correspondent in Abuja on Tuesday.

The governor had on Monday sacked his Commissioner for Local Government Administration, Marie Ebibake, and his Special Adviser on Special Projects, Remmy Kuku.

It was alleged that the duo were sacked because of their closeness to the First Lady.

But the statement described as a deliberate propagation of falsehood and the handiwork of those it described as mischief makers, the reports attributing the minor cabinet shake up in the state to rifts between Dickson, President Goodluck Jonathan and his wife, Patience.

The statement said, “Contrary to the reports, a Government House statement notes that, having been in the saddle for nearly three years and knowing that this is an election year, the Governor decided to effect the shakeup to inject new blood into the system to bring about the needed changes to impact more positively on the people of the State.”

He said  this was well captured in the Government statement announcing the changes, “In furtherance of his commitment to deliver more robustly on its administration’s restoration agenda, Governor Seriake Dickson has stepped up efforts geared towards re-organizing the machinery of the government.”

“Governor Dickson has always maintained a close relationship with the first family, contrary to the unfounded rumours and insinuations being peddled by this group of failed politicians and their collaborators,” Iworiso-Markson added.

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I didn’t sack my aides because of Patience Jonathan - Dickson