The allegations and responses that have emanated from Hon. Seriake Dickson these past few days once again confirm that the man and his handlers are completely bereft of ideas. The frenzied diatribes show clearly that all the immoral options Dickson and his gang had hoped on in their attempt to hang on to a tainted mandate have been exhausted. They have taken to empty vituperations and unsolicited advice. And, suddenly, the messenger has become the issue to them.
That probably tells you why these characters employed the services of a ghost named Nasara Dogo, gave “him” residency in Yenagoa with government cover to launch an offensive against my principal and I. (See what perhaps is one of several voodoo articles: http://pointblanknews.com/new/articles-opinions/4067-sylva-s-sins-and-the-burden-of-truth-by-nasara-dogo.html) They seem to have forgotten that neither Sylva nor I is the issue in the Bayelsa State governorship crisis. The issue is the right of our people to freely elect their own leaders. The issue is the right of every citizen to participate in the governance of his state. The issue is about due process, fair play and justice.
The gang that seized power in Bayelsa State by trampling upon everything democracy holds dear has spent all their moments in power battling the ghost of Timipre Sylva.
To try to mitigate the outrage that greeted their usurpation of power, Dickson laid claim to a restoration agenda. Of course, the world now knows better who is restoring what, after all the wanton duplications Dickson has introduced into government. He has increased the number of commissioners in the state from 21, under Sylva, to about 28 all in an effort to appease godfathers. Dickson’s convoy is twice that of Sylva, and his advisers are three times what existed under Sylva. All these have been a drag on the administration’s capacity to deliver good governance.
Dickson is simply unfocused and yoked by a coterie of cronies and godfathers that would never allow him to have a clear purpose.
Electricity in Yenagoa, which Sylva had stabilised, has worsened since the coming of Dickson, just as Yenagoa, which Sylva had extensively cleaned up, has been taken over by refuge. Bayelsa is in a complete mess. It is so bad that even routine matters like payment of salaries to civil servants has become a problem to Dickson. So much for restoration!
The challenge facing Dickson and his gang is not to create problems; it is to be part of a solution. The hard part is to solve problems and deliver the people’s expectations. Dwelling on Sylva and seeking to use him as a scapegoat for Dickson’s assured failure will not change anything at this point. This mission leaves no hope. It is a case of puppets and puppeteers with no redeeming feature.
Doifie Ola is Media Aide to Chief Timipre Sylva
