The All Progressives Congress and the All Progressives Grand Alliance in Bayelsa have criticised Governor Seriake Dickson over the recent approval granted by the state House of Assembly for his government to obtain a N25bn loan.
While the ostensible reason for the loan is to complete some ongoing projects in the state, the opposition parties believe the purpose of the loan is “suspicious,” “deceitful” and “criminal.”
The APC, through its Kolokuma/Opokuma ward chairman, Abiye Stephen, commended the Minority Leader and the member representing Brass Constituency 2, Sunny Igoli, for not being present during deliberations on the loan approval.
For his part, the APGA Chairman for Southern Ijaw local government, Fredrick Kuffor, said the decision to obtain a N25bn facility for purposes of completion of projects a few months to the expiration of Dickson’s tenure was a deliberate diversion of state fund to fund the Peoples Democratic Party’s election campaign.
“The processes adopted to obtain the approval is criminal and the purpose it is meant for is deceitful. How do you describe these actions by the State Assembly and the Governor?
“This is a criminal way of obtaining money and using it for his bid for second term. He is trying to have a send forth package for himself with our money.
“How can he say he wants to use the money to complete these listed projects? Have you forgotten that he said he has completed the payment of some of the listed projects? Where is the money he said he saved for Bayelsa people?” he asked.
The State House of Assembly had last Thursday approved Dickson’s request to obtain N25bn loan for the completion of ongoing projects.
The approval, read on the floor of the House to state lawmakers by Speaker Kombowei Benson covered such projects as the Ogbia-Nembe-Brass Road, the Sagbama-Ekeremor Road, the Yenagoa-Oporoma Road, the New Yenagoa Gateway-Igbogene Road, the Yenagoa Ring Road, the Opolo-Elebele Road, the Isaac Boro Road, among others.
The lawmakers present unanimously approved the request.
