Dickson: Buhari Propping Sylva, Lokpobiri, Others to Destabilise Bayelsa 

By Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Seriake Dickson, yesterday accused President Muhammadu Buhari of watching while a former governor of the state, Timipre Sylva, and the Minister of State for Agriculture, Senator Heineken Lokpobiri, undermined the security of the state.

Dickson expressed shock that the president had failed to take any action against the All Progressives Congress (APC) leaders and their cohorts who he accused of causing mayhem in the state despite making several reports and complaints to him ,(Buhari) and the security agencies.

Refuting the allegations, the APC and its leaders accused the governor of attempting to intimidate the opposition because he was afraid of the rising profile of the party in the state.

A statement signed by Dickson’s Special Adviser on Public Affairs, Mr. Daniel Alabrah, said that the security agencies were applying double standards with the raid on the homes of Caretaker Chairman of Brass, Victor Isaiah and Tiwei Orunimigha, former APC chair who defected to the Peoples Democratic Party( PDP) last weekend.

The governor vowed to personally mobilise the people of the state to arrest Mr. Israel Sunny-Goli, the only APC lawmaker in the state, if the police fail to act on an alleged petition concerning the activities of the party stalwart.

“The president has allowed common criminals and terrorists such as Sylva and Lokpobiri to unleash violence on their people while the Inspector General of Police is sitting in Abuja to direct investigation of a petition against the Brass Council chairman. 

“At the moment, they are attacking innocent people in Brass, who are members of the PDP, with people bloodied and houses burnt all in a bid to destabilise the state,” Dickson said.

He also accused the legislator representing the Brass Constituency 1 in the state House of Assembly,  Sunny-Goli, of being responsible for the mayhem in Brass and that he was being shielded by Sylva and Lokpobiri in connivance with security agencies.

He called for his arrest and prosecution for various crimes, including murder, thuggery and cultism in his constituency and the whole of Brass Local Government Area. 

“The position of the Bayelsa State Government is that Sunny-Goli has to be arrested. We are asking the IG and the DSS to take steps to prevent an abuse of their powers by someone who terrorises innocent people.

“I will mobilise the people of this state to arrest him since the law enforcement agencies cannot do it. As governor of this state, I do not and will not condone criminal acts by any individual no matter his position in the state,” he said.

But Sunny- Goli yesterday denied the allegations against him, stating that the PDP had become desperate because of the Nembe/Brass House of Representatives Federal constituency which he was contesting under the platform of the APC.

He disclosed that he had refused overtures to defect to the PDP and contest for the seat under its platform, stressing that he had come under malicious attacks by the PDP government in the state which is looking for ways to prosecute him on trumped-up charges.

“Since August 23 when Kelly Ikurusi and Peter George were killed, APC in Bayelsa has been in mourning.  I don’t know why a government that claims it does not condone crime and criminality would encourage Bayelsa youths to prevent Police detectives from doing their work.

“I have told the police our concern and that is that we shall follow the path of the law and ensure that those involved in the alleged murder are brought to book. No amount of intimidation would make us back down.”

Also,  Bayelsa APC  described the order by the governor of the state, Hon. Seriake Dickson, calling for the arrest of its member and the lawmaker representing Brass Constituency one Israel Sunny-Goli as one of the many example of intimidation by the PDP-led government in the state .

Publicity Secretary of the APC in the State, Doifie Buokoribo, said it was unfortunate that the lawmaker who had himself and his supporters been victims of attack was now being targeted for victimisation by the state government.

Dofie recalled that this was not the first time Dickson had embarked  on such venture, one of such occasions was the illegal manipulated incarceration  of chief Samuel Ogbuku and Tonye Okio.

“The party wonders why Governor Dickson instead of allowing security agencies to do their job by unraveling the circumstances behind the brutal killing of three APC supports in Twon Brass went round to cry wolf when the actual wolf is himself.