Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson warned President Muhammadu Buhari against using the Department for State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Police Force for political purposes. Governor Dickson noted that the sudden redeployment of the State Commissioner of Police, Nasiru Oki, a few days before the January 9th supplementary election was mischievous and wrong.
Bayelsa State Governor Seriake Dickson warned President Muhammadu Buhari against using the Department for State Services (DSS) and the Nigerian Police Force for political purposes. Governor Dickson noted that the sudden redeployment of the State Commissioner of Police, Nasiru Oki, a few days before the January 9th supplementary election was mischievous and wrong.
According to Governor Dickson, the “misuse” of Federal institutions and the sudden redeployment of the State Commissioner of Police, Nasiru Oki will not affect his anticipated victory in the supplementary election in Southern Ijaw and the 101 other Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the State. Instead, according to the governor, the misuse of Federal institutions for political gains will destroy the integrity of the institution and the nation’s democracy.
Governor Dickson, speaking in Yenagoa to the media and other stakeholders in the State at the Government House, warned that the Federal Government’s (FG) usage of institutions to protect alleged perpetrators of electoral violence in Bayelsa State will only throw the integrity of these institutions into question.
“I have raised questions regarding the aberrations by some officials of the FG institutions.
“They should stop using these institutions to serve personal purposes.
“Don’t sacrifice the credibility of the institutions on the altar of personal ambitions. The institution’s integrity is called into question and democracy is destroyed,” Mr. Dickson said.
The Bayelsa State governor went on to note that those who “killed” during the December 5th elections are now under the protection of the police and the DSS. In addition, Governor Dickson alleged, several individuals, supported by the All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial candidate Timipre Sylva, are currently stockpiling arms. These individuals are being actively protected by the FG, according to Mr. Dickson.
Moreover, any person who attempts to change these policies from within the institution is immediately removed.
“This is the third time they have changed the State Commissioner of Police. If they do not do his bidding to kill more people, they are removed. This is a victory of evil over good,” Governor Dickson noted.
Governor Dickson dismissed the allegations that he provided an N200 million bribe to the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Baritoh Kpagih as a “campaign of calumny.”
“I have never had any close interaction with the REC [Mr. Kpagih]. I have mobilized the people of the State in every community and would not engage in electoral fraud,” Mr. Dickson stated.
Governor Dickson restated his belief that the people Southern Ijaw LGA should be allowed to come out and cast their votes peacefully for their chosen candidate in the rescheduled election.
Mr. Dickson also called on the people of the Southern Ijaw LGA to provide protection of the electoral materials as well as the officials of INEC.