Bayelsa state governor, Seriake Dickson and the Minister of state for Agriculture and Rural Development, Heineken Lokpobiri have clashed over the revenue accrued to the state from the federation accounts, since the inception of this administration.
The clash stemmed from President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign rally at the Oxbow Lake Pavilion, Yenagoa, in Bayelsa state.
Lokpobiri had during the rally alleged that a total of N1.3trillion has so far been received by Dickson from the federation account from 2015 to date.
The minister said, except for staff retrenchment, Governor Dickson has nothing to show for the N1.3trillion.
“Mr. President, kindly extend your anti-corruption war to Bayelsa state. Let them account for what they have done with the N1.3trillion they have received,” he said.
He also said the Bayelsa State Government under Dickson has spent N120billion on the construction of an airport.
“This amount (N120bn), the minister has told me can construct eight airports. The airport was flooded last time. This means our airport will be a seasonal one. It is only in Bayelsa that we have a seasonal airport in the country,” he said.
In an interview at the King Alfred Diete Spiff Heliport, after seeing president Buhari off, Dickson faulted Lokpobiri’s claims.
Describing his administration as the most transparent in the country, he said the airport gulped N60bn and not N120bn, as claimed by the minister.
“We don’t blame him because the federal government that he is serving has not done any project like this. So, they don’t know what it means to construct an airport in Bayelsa state. It is not true that Bayelsa has received N1.3trillion. He is a propagandist.
“The government of Bayelsa state is not scared about probe and investigation. We have been investigated severally. The anti-corruption agency don’t need to be told on how to do their job, who to investigate and who not to be investigated.
“In the state, every month we announce what comes to the state. So, the minister does not need to tell the people of the state,” he said.
Dickson and his wife, Dr. Rachael were at the heliport when the president arrived and when he departed the state, after his campaign rally.
The governor said he suspended the PDP campaign in the state to host the president.
