A former member of the House of Representatives, Mr. Warman Ogoriba, has challenged Governor Henry Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa state to account for over N660bn so far received by his administration from the Federation Accounts.
He noted that it became imperative for Dickson to make the explanation because there was allegedly nothing on the ground to indicate that the governor spent the money judiciously for the development of the state.
Ogoriba, who recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to the All Progressives Congress, APC, with over 40 PDP faithful, stated this while interacting with newsmen in Yenagoa on Wednesday.
According to him, “Governor Seriake Dickson does not have respect for his people. He is authoritarian – he feels he knows everything and does not want to listen to anyone.
“Since Dickson became governor, he has never inaugurated any tangible project. He is also disconnected from the people as he does not interact with his people to get quality information that will help his government.
“As of last month, July, Bayelsa has received N660bn from the Federal Government, excluding the revenues got from the state. I have the proof and it can be verified. We demand Dickson to show the world what he has used the money for and what kind of development he has done.
“The governor has lost the people’s trust. Any government that has lost the trust of his people is a failed government,” he stated.
The ex-lawmakers expressed confidence in the ability of President Muhammadu Buhari to give Nigerians the needed change Nigerians had been yearning for, stressing that the President had so far demonstrated his leadership prowess and desire to put smiles on the faces of the citizen.
He called on the people of the Niger Delta not to despair, saying the President had their interest at heart.
Ogoriba said, “I have confidence that Buhari would bring development to the Niger Delta. Yes, I am very sure of that. Even within these few months he became President, take a look at the Ogoni issues.
“He asked for the report of the clean-up of Ogoni and if Buhari is not fair, he would not appoint his Special Adviser from the Niger Delta and also continue to effect the amnesty programme. I think he would be fair to the Niger Delta region because of its importance to Nigeria and all other important regions of the country.”
Speaking about his reason for dumping the PDP, Ogoriba said he left because of lack of internal democracy, intimidation, insistence on PDP fielding Dickson as candidate, lack of level-playing field, among others.
He expressed optimism that APC would form the next government in Bayelsa, saying Bayelsans yearned for change and wished to align with the party at the centre.
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