The Bayelsa State All Progressives Congress (APC) on Sunday sustained its accusation of Governor Seriake Dickson of N80 billion fraud in the building of the state Airport. The Bayelsa APC which on Thursday, 15 November, 2018, raised issues relating to fraud, reiterated its accusation on Sunday challenging the governor of lacking answers and attempting to divert attention from “serious issues of accountability, due process and democratic governance” previously raised on Thursday questioning the state’s airport contract.
National Daily gathered that APC State Publicity Secretary, Doifie Buokoribo, in a statement in Yenagoa on Sunday, protested that in carefully avoiding the critical concerns raised by the party and dwelling on the insult and abuse of APC leaders in response, the Dickson administration only confirmed the fraudulent dealings observed in the execution of the project; and accordingly declared: “Governor Dickson is guilty as charged.”
APC, therefore, threatened that Governor Dickson would face trial for fraud in the airport project and other acts of financial impropriety at the appropriate time, perhaps, at the end of his second tenure.
The statement read:
GUILTY AS CHARGED
The most noticeable thing about the reaction of the Bayelsa State Government’s reaction to our statement of Thursday, 15 November 2018, on the Bayelsa Airport scam is that it did not address any of the issues we raised. This is unfortunate but understandable.
Unfortunately, because the government is attempting to divert the attention of the Bayelsa populace from the serious issues of accountability, due process and democratic governance, which underscores our party’s intervention; we said the airport project is a fraud. We said at more than N80 billion, it is grossly inflated. We said the airport project is a deliberate cover by Governor Henry Seriake Dickson to launder state funds. We have no reason whatsoever to change our well thought-out position.
Rather than address the concerns we raised, Governor Dickson, through his Information Commissioner, chose to abuse our party and its leaders, especially, Chief Timipre Sylva. More than six years after it took office, it is pitiable that this so-called restoration government still considers former Governor Sylva its problem. If the restoration team does not know, shall we tell them that Sylva is not the issue here? It is Governor Dickson that needs to come clean.
The APC is a party of serious-minded people. We are not in competition with anyone as to who will emerge best in exchange of insults and abuse. We are focused on a better life for all the people of Bayelsa State. Of course, those who want to leave the football and focus on the legs of players’ are free to do so. It says a lot about their ethical orientation. Indeed, they diminish the high office of Bayelsa State Governor. For us, our eyes remain firmly on the football.
But then, the slant of the Dickson government’s response is understandable. We know, like every discerning Bayelsan, that Governor Dickson has no answers to our concerns. That is why he is seeking to divert public attention about the airport scam through abuse and insults. The implication of this irresponsible approach is that our fears have been confirmed – Governor Dickson is guilty as charged.
Like we pointed out in our previous statement, the day of reckoning is coming. Dickson shall surely stand trial for this airport scam and several other larcenies through which he has subjected Bayelsa civil servants and citizens to unprecedented poverty and misery since the last six years.