Alleged N150m library scam is Sylva’s attempt to thwart my victory – Dickson

Posted by admin Bayelsa, State News Friday, January 6th, 2012

With less than two months to the conduct of the governorship election in Bayelsa State, the governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Honourable Seriake Dickson, on Thursday, said the case of the alleged diversion of N150 million levelled against him by the state House of Assembly and the Governor Timipre Sylva’s administration was part of the grand plot to work against his victory at the poll.

He contended that the resuscitation of the issue, which had already been decided in his favour by a Yenagoa High Court, back in 2010 by some loyalists of the governor, was a lame attempt to rubbish his integrity ahead of the election.

Dickson, who said this during an interactive session with journalists, in Yenagoa, contended that “the allegation of the N150million scam is not only baseless and unfounded, but a pack of concocted lies, fabricated by some individuals to insult the sensibilities of Bayelsans”.

According to him, “the only money appropriated to the Ministry of Justice in 2006, when I was the Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, in Bayelsa State was N49million, which was originally earmarked for the purchase of portakabins. But, based on my advice to the then state governor, who is now the President of Nigeria, Dr Goodluck Jonathan, the fund was used to construct a building, currently being occupied by the Nigerian Prison Authorities in the state.

“Even the then permanent secretary, Mrs Dame Didi Walson-Jack, in her handing over notes, covering May 29, 1999 to April 30, 2007 conspicuously stated that the said N150million, which was meant to purchase books and vital materials for the Ministry of Justice, was not released. I wonder how they came up with their fictitious, questionable and laughable allegations,” Dickson asserted.

While explaining that the state legislature had no proof of the money which they claimed he misappropriated, the PDP standard-bearer emphasised that “a High Court in Yenagoa, presided over by Justice N. Aganaba, in 2010 not only ruled in my favour, but also awarded a cost of N500, 000 against the House of Assembly.”

-Tribunewp_posts