PIB: Hold Dickson Responsible If Violence Breaks In N/Delta – South-South Forum

…Says Allegation Against Sylva Irresponsible, Disgraceful

The South-south Emerging Leaders’ Forum (SELF) has told President Muhammadu Buhari and all the Niger Delta leaders to hold former Governor Seriaki Dickson responsible in case of any outbreak of violence in the Niger Delta.

The forum also described as irresponsible and disgraceful the accusation made against the Minister of State for Petroleum Chief Timipre Sylva by the former governor of Bayelsa state over the recently passed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB).

The South-south forum said “as water flows from a keg, so lies flow from a non-performing Senator.”

Dickson had accused Sylva of proposing 2.5 per cent operating surplus to Host Communities against President Muhammadu Buhari’s 5 per cent in the Petroleum Industrial Bill when he addressed the National Assembly over the contentious bill.

Dickson asked the host communities in the region to hold the minister responsible for the 3% approved for them.

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Already, a militant group, Niger Delta Revolutionary Crusaders (NDRC), has threatened to resume hostilities over the three per cent allocated to host communities in the recently passed Petroleum Industry Bill (PIB) by the National Assembly, which it describes as unfavourable.

But responding to Dickson’s accusation through a statement signed by its National Coordinator, Comrade Benjamin Kolowei, and made available to newsmen Saturday in Abuja, SELF warned the former governor to stop playing politics with the PIB issue.

The forum accused the former governor of being behind the move to destabilise the South-south using the PIB as a cover.

According to the group, Dickson must explain to his constituents why he abandoned the meeting where the contentious bill was being discussed for frivolous reasons.

The statement also accused Dickson of contributing nothing to the realization of the PIB and development of host communities even as a sitting governor, saying the former governor was only interested in his village with derivation funds.

The group said: “The likes of Senator Dickson are ingratiate. Under the PDP administration, with President Goodluck Jonathan from Bayelsa, Dickson as sitting governor, Alison Madueke as Minister as Minister of Petroleum and the PDP dominated National Assembly, the PIB could not see the light of the day.

“The likes of Senator Dickson should berry their heads in shame and by now be answering questions on their ignominious roles instead of heaping blame on patriotic Minister of state for Petroleum.

“A witch cried last night and the a baby died this morning, who doesn’t know that the witch killed the baby. Senator Dickson should be held responsible over the latest move to threaten the peace of the Niger Delta region.

“We will henceforth hold Senator Dickson and his types responsible for any breakdown of law and order in the Niger Delta, because Dickson has openly incited, instigated and called for violence through his recent statements.”

The forum advised Senator Senator Dickson stop instigating violence in the peaceful South-south region.