SENATOR Henry Seriake Dickson, representing Bayelsa West, in a statement he personally signed explains why he did not participate in a meeting of the Local Content Committee of which he is a member. “On Thursday, at the meeting of the Senate Committee on Local Content, I had cause to recuse myself when I got to know that it was an investigative hearing summoned to investigate allegations of diversion of $14.8m against the former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva. “As I explained, I attended believing it was an interactive forum with the Executive Secretary and his team.
When I discovered that the hearing was specifically summoned for that purpose, I raised objections—firstly, on the ground that there should be no selective inquiry; that the entirety of the management of the fund, perhaps from inception, should be investigated, if at all, and not just one transaction. “While the Committee has the powers to decide what to investigate, I feel that this approach is too selective, especially bearing in mind that it is public knowledge that the EFCC has already taken steps — meaning they have investigated and reached a certain level.
I thought the Committee need not investigate that particular transaction, even though it has the powers to do so. “I recused myself because the person affected is a former Governor of my State — my predecessor in office, and I have a policy of not joining to fight or pull down anyone. I am not like other politicians from my area or the typical politicians in Nigeria who celebrate the downfall of opponents and people they disagree with.
“The person concerned and I have been on different ends, leading different tendencies in various political battles in my state since 2011 till date. While we do not meet or speak or pursue any common political agenda, and we have not been in the same party since 2011, I do not practise politics that involves pulling people down or contributing to their problems.
“I have always limited political contest to campaigns during elections, where I out-plan, out-campaign, strategise, and defeat them on the ground and through legal processes, but never by trying to bring anyone down after elections. “As part of this policy I have extended support and encouragement to all who operate at the federal level in spite of political or partisan differences, knowing that if political interests do not align until elections, we will then resolve such differences at the polls.
“I have always told our people, “we are few”; everyone is important. If you cannot help someone, leave the person alone, and don’t destroy them. That has been my policy, which I have practised and taught for several years. “As I have always maintained, I am in politics for service to God and man — I build, I raise, I develop, I defend; I don’t destroy or pull down.
“I know that they don’t treat me the same way. When they are in a position to bring me down, they don’t spare anything to achieve that goal, but to the glory of God, they have not succeeded so far, and God is still on His throne. “I know these are very trying times, particularly for the people affected, and I do not intend to add to anyone’s problems. It is God who has always fought my battles and has ensured that my opponents, despite all they do using federal power or federal might, blackmail or propaganda, incitements, in spite of all these, they have not defeated my tendency till date.
“Even when all the major political figures unite against me, backed by federal might and greater resources, they still lose, as my politics is achored on God and the support and prayers of people — not on violence, destruction and pulling people down or celebrating their misfortune and downfall. “It is on account of this that I explained my position to my colleagues in the Committee, who saw reason with me, and I left.
“As a former Governor, I feel I have a lifelong responsibility of support and fairness to all Bayelsans; which is why I have protected, supported, and encouraged all persons from my State, from the Niger Delta region, and all Nigerians, irrespective of party, till date on all issues that have been brought before me. “I would like the public, who know I am a member of the committee, to know my stand, as the Committee progresses with the investigative hearing, which it has the powers to conduct”.
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