On Tuesday, the Bayelsa State Governor, Hon. Seriake Dickson, has faulted claims by the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, that the State received over N440 Billion from the Federal Allocations, but had nothing substantive to show for it.
Dickson said in a statement on Tuesday that though the present administration was not disturbed by the distorted show of ignorance by the opposition parties on issues of governance and development within the state, the position of the APC National Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun is ill-informed and uncharitable.
He was reacting to a statement made by the APC National Vice Chairman, South-South, Hilliard Etaho, after formally receiving a new defector from the PDP – former Chief of Staff of the Government House, Chief Diekivie Ikiogha.
Dickson said that his administration inherited a massive debt profile of N332 billion from the administration of Chief Timipre Sylva when it assumed office in February 2012.
He said, “Through prudent management and commitment to the ethos of good governance, that debt today stands at N90 billion. Out of the N440 billion that his government received as allocation from the Federation Account, about N242 billion was used to help pay down that debt even as it embarked on an unprecedented level of infrastructural development and socio-economic welfare schemes.”
“This is what the Bayelsa State government considers as very uncharitable. The statement attributed to APC Chairman, Chief John Odigie-Oyegun, that the government has nothing to show for that allocation from the centre. The APC chairman’s posture is highly curious, given that he had warned against defections to his Party, after its victory at the March, 2015 presidential elections, advising potential defectors to remain in their existing parties and help build a virile opposition in the interest of the development of the nation’s democracy. So, why is the APC now welcoming the sudden influx of power prostitutes and fair weather politicians, who spin cock and bull stories into its fold?”
“Such defectors are no loss to us in the state and the APC richly deserves what it gets by welcoming and accommodating elements steeped in treachery into its ranks. But Chief Oyegun should kindly leave the Bayelsa State government out of its growing confusion. The State government is preoccupied with changing the lives of Bayelsans for good as is already evident in its transparent administration, commitment to good governance, landmark infrastructural development, empowerment of the people, free compulsory qualitative education, social welfare payments to the elderly, and unprecedented health infrastructure.”
“If the APC is expecting the defectors it is now welcoming with open arms to win the governorship election in the State, they will have to wait till eternity. Bayelsans have no time for political miscreants.”
