‘This nonsense from Wike must stop’, Gov Dickson raises hell

Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has accused his Rivers State counterpart, Nyesom Wike, of promoting “wicked clandestine ethnic supremacist agenda” in the politics of Rivers.

In a statement signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Fidelis Soriwei and made available to reporters on Sunday, the Bayelsa governor also knocked Wike for accusing him of inciting ethnic disharmony in Ijaw land.

According him, Wike was using the disputed oil wells between the two states as a subterfuge to create disunity and cover up his deliberate policy to under-develop Ijaw communities.

The governor said Wike’s comments on the disputed oil wells were reckless, childish and uncivilized, with an evil intent to attack age-long bonds among brothers.

He said he had tried over the years to restrain himself from responding to the unprovoked and unguarded remarks and excesses of Wike out of respect for the Rivers people.

Dickson sternly warned his counterpart to stop looking at Bayelsa as his conquered political empire and dismissed the Rivers governor’s claims that his state owned Soku oil wells.

He explained that “while Soku is a Kalabari (Ijaw) community in Rivers State, the disputed oil wells are located in Oluasiri, Nembe local government area of Bayelsa.

“Ijaw leaders made sustained efforts to forge solid bonds of unity among the peoples’ design that Wike was trying in vain to destroy the relationship.”

READ ALSO: Dokubo-Asari, Tonye Princewill in face-off with Gov Wike over threat to remove Kalabari king

“Bayelsa under my leadership led a Pan-Ijaw agenda, which culminated in the building of solid bonds of unity across the six states comprising Ijaw indigenes.

“Wike’s reckless expansionist agenda led him to start needless wars with all the neighbouring states of Imo, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and more to come to the detriment of the unity of the Niger Delta and the South-South.”

Dickson said: “I have had to hold myself because the Governor of Bayelsa represents much more than governorship of a state. Out of respect for our people in Rivers state, I’ve always held back, but this time, no, he has gone too far.

“And so I want to use this opportunity to condemn the way and manner he threatens and shows disrespect to our leaders in that state and I want to particularly respond to what he said concerning my visit to our revered leader and father, the Amanyanabo of Kalabari, who will be 90 years next year.

“And I want to make it clear as governor of this state, either me or any other person who will be governor, we don’t need Governor Wike’s permission to visit our traditional rulers and elders in Port Harcourt or any part of Rivers state.

“Since he doesn’t understand courtesy and is not prepared to show courtesy, then that courtesy will not be extended to him. Bayelsa is not an annex of Rivers state that he can intimidate at will.

“If we are quiet, it’s because it is strategic, especially with me as the oldest governor even in the south-south, but this nonsense from Wike must stop.

“Wike should stop interfering with the politics of Bayelsa state, you all know what he did in the PDP primaries and the roles he played supporting the APC in their federal takeover of our state, there are so many things he has been doing that I keep quiet about.

“Wike should learn to respect his colleagues for whom he has shown scant regard not just for me, and Bayelsa. He is having oil wars with every state around him; with Imo and Akwa Ibom states. What is wrong with him?”

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