Why I visited EFCC after invitation, says ex-Bayelsa Gov Dickson

Serving senator and immediate past governor of Bayelsa State, Siriake Dickson, on Tuesday, said he honoured an invitation by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) because of the respect he has for law-enforcement agencies.

In a statement signed by him, Dickson, who described a petition written against him by an NGO as frivolous, said he acquired his family assets since 2007 through loans.

He also dismissed allegation that he spent ₦17.5 billion donated to the states to fund his re-election in 2019, as there was no such donation and there was no election.

“For the avoidance of doubts, let me state that my family investments, Seriake Dickson Trust Incorporated, were made between 1996 and 2012 before I became governor.

“These investments were funded by loans and advances and repaid from salaries, allowances, savings and others. One of them is still on mortgage and I have made these documents available to the EFCC.

“These investments were declared in my assets declaration form at the House of Representatives in 2011; my governorship form in 2012, 2016, 2020 after I left office and the Senate assets declaration form this year.”

According to him, beyond such declarations, he also wrote several letters to the appropriate agencies, copies of which have been made available to the EFCC.

“My trust and I subscribed to the Federal Government Voluntary Assets Income and Declaration Scheme (VAIDES) and also paid the necessary taxes.”

He explained further that as a result of blackmail from some quarters, he and the Trust went to the Federal High Court where there was a subsisting judgment declaring that no Nigerian law is breached by a public officer who takes loans and other verifiable avenues to make investments for his family provided these are declared.

“It should be on record that I resigned from the Trust Administration since 2011 before I became governor.

“My solicitors and those of the trust have written to the EFCC to clarify these issues with the accompanying documents.”

The petitioners alleged that the ₦17.5 billion was donated as reflief against devastation of 2012 funding on his re-election in 2019.

He then stated that after looking into the allegations, EFCC had since asked him to return home on self recognition.