Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
House of Representatives member, Israel Sunny-Goli (Nembe/ Brass Federal Constituency) has slammed Governor Henry Seriake Dickson over attempts to link the Nigerian Agip Oil Company to the governorship ambition of the All Progressive Congress(APC) candidate, Chief David Lyon.
Dickson had recently accused Agip of outsourcing terrorism to Lyon through pipeline security and surveillance contracts so as to operate a parallel government in the state.
Sunny-Goli at a press conference in Yenagoa declared that Agip has nothing to do with the growing popularity and acceptability of APC and Lyon as an alternative to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its candidate, Senator Douye Diri.
He urged Dickson to stop blaming his political woes and the rejection of his party and its candidate on innocent oil firms and individuals but rather concentrate on how to use the remaining months in office to improve the living conditions of Bayelsans
“Governor Dickson is in a confused state. He is confused in the sense that he is spreading lies. 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 seven-kilometre Isaac Boro Express road? He should go to Rivers State and see the roads his colleague governor 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”