Former Member of the Federal House of Representatives from Bayelsa State, Rt. Hon. Isreal Sunny-Goli, has tackled the former Governor and Senator representing Bayelsa West Senatorial District, Senator Seriake Dickson, for querying the democratic credentials of President Bola Tinubu.
Rt. Hon. Sunny-Goli, who is also a traditional ruler of Kemmer-Ama in Brass Kingdom, said in a statement that Dickson’s criticism of President Tinubu’s interventions in Rivers State is baseless, considering his own legacy during his eight-year rule as Governor of Bayelsa.
Sunny-Goli further noted in the statement that he was shocked and astonished when he read Senator Dickson’s outburst over the President’s speech, describing it as a disregard for democratic principles.
Part of the speech read:
“His administration institutionalised oppression, stifled opposition voices, and exhibited an unparalleled aversion to democratic norms. Dickson’s government made political persecution a state policy, targeting opposition figures through fabricated allegations.”
He also recalled the harrowing experience he and the current Managing Director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Dr Samuel Ogbuku, had under Governor Seriake Dickson’s administration in Bayelsa.
Sunny-Goli disclosed that Ogbuku and himself were falsely accused of murder and labelled as suspects for killing and imprisonment, adding that while he escaped arrest, Ogbuku was not so fortunate, as he was indiscriminately detained in prison for months.
The statement further reads:
“Dickson falsely accused myself and Samuel Ogbuku of murder, weaponising state machinery to crush dissent. The systematic suppression of opposing voices defined his leadership, ensuring that political rivals were either side-lined or silenced.
“Following the unceremonious end of the administration in which I served as the Special Adviser on Youths to then-Governor Timipre Sylva in 2012, Dickson outrightly withheld my severance payment, along with those of other appointees who served under that administration.
“His refusal was based solely on our decision to remain loyal to our principal rather than align with him. Only those who crossed over to his camp received their severance benefits. To this day, those of us who stood firm have yet to receive the severance payments rightfully owed to us.
“In 2015, while serving as a member of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly representing Brass Constituency 1, I faced an unjust denial of my constitutional entitlements as directed by Dickson.
“He actively sought to frustrate my tenure, ensuring I was excluded from official functions, including foreign travel opportunities with my colleagues, and denied me my constituency projects.
“Upon completing my tenure in the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, I had no option but to seek justice through the Code of Conduct Bureau. My petition prompted an investigation that uncovered the unjust treatment I had experienced at the hands of the then Speaker, Konbowei Benson (who is now a Senator representing Bayelsa Central).
“He acknowledged that I was owed certain entitlements, following directives from Dickson. It was due to my involvement of the Code of Conduct Bureau that I was eventually paid all that I was owed.”
He also pointed out Senator Seriake Dickson’s alleged consistent dislike for members of the opposition party and the All Progressives Congress (APC), and his aversion to democratic governance.
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