Reps member chides Dickson over comment on APC gov’ship candidate Lyon

A member of the House of Representatives, Isreal Sunny-Goli, on Wednesday carpeted Bayelsa State governor, Seriake Dickson, for allegedly accusing the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief David Lyon, of funding terrorism.

Dickson had earlier accused Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) of outsourcing terrorism in Bayelsa through pipeline security and surveillance contracts and named Lyon as one of the company’s contractors.

The governor said that the oil firm was giving out surveillance contracts to outlaws in the oil-producing communities created and sustained by them.

Following this, Sunny- Goli, who represents Nembe/ Brass Federal Constituency while speaking with newsmen in Yenagoa, quashed the governor’s allegations, saying it was out of fear that Lyon would eclipse him and his party in the coming election.

He distanced the oil multinational of the allegation saying the firm had nothing to do with the growing popularity and acceptability of the APC candidate in Bayelsa.

He said the governor was in shock following his realisation that the APC and Lyon were more popular than the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri.

The lawmaker explained that it was widely known that Agip as an oil firm never mixed politics with its business of oil exploration since it commenced activities in Nigeria.

He said: “First and foremost, Governor Dickson is in a confused state. He is confused in the sense that he is spreading lies.

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“Agip is not a party to the growing popularity of APC in Bayelsa State; Agip is not a party to our acceptability in this state as the only alternative to the PDP in Bayelsa.

“I want to ask Dickson some questions was it Agip that told him for the past seven and half years not to pay workers full salaries? Was it Agip that told him not to utilise the Paris Fund to pay gratuities and pensions to retirees? Was it Agip that told Dickson not to complete the construction of the 7km road Isaac Boro Express road?

“He should go to Rivers State and see the roads his colleague Governor Nyesom Wike is constructing. The truth of the matter is that Dickson is a drowning man. Bayelsans have rejected him and the PDP completely because of the mismanagement of the affairs of the state.

“So he is trying to come out to feed Bayelsans with lies. It has become obvious to Bayelsans that Dickson has been lying for the past seven years and there is no way to remedy it again so all he is trying to do is blame his woes on innocent firms and individuals but this cannot save him.

“Agip is innocent of all the allegations levelled against it. The allegations are baseless and vague. There are issues of governance for him to tackle he should come home and tackle them instead of going around to deceive Nigerians.”

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