Stop linking APC candidate, Agip to terrorism, lawmaker tells Dickson

A member of the House of Representatives, Isreal Sunny-Goli, has told Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, to stop accusing the Nigerian Agip Oil Company (NAOC) and the candidate All Progressives Congress (APC), Chief David Lyon, of funding terrorism.

Dickson earlier accused NAOC of outsourcing terrorism in Bayelsa through pipeline security and surveillance contracts and named Lyon as one of the company’s contractors.

The governor said that the oil firm was giving out surveillance contracts to outlaws in the oil-producing communities created and sustained by them.

But Sunny- Goli, who represents Nembe/ Brass Federal Constituency, described governor’s allegations as hogwash saying the governor was afraid of Lyon’s popularity.

He exonerated the oil multinational of the allegation saying the firm had nothing to do with the growing popularity and acceptability of the APC candidate in Bayelsa.

He said the governor was in shock following his realisation that the APC and Lyon were more popular than the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and its governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri.

The lawmaker explained that it was widely known that Agip as an oil firm never mixed politics with its business of oil exploration since it commenced activities in Nigeria.

He appealed to Dickson to stop blaming his political woes and the rejection of his party and its candidate on innocent oil firms and individuals.

Sunny-Goli said the governor should rather concentrate on using his remaining months in office to improve the living conditions of Bayelsans

He said: “First and foremost, Governor Dickson is in a confused state. He is confused in the sense that he is spreading lies.

“Agip is not a party to the growing popularity of APC in Bayelsa State; Agip is not a party to our acceptability in this state as the only alternative to the PDP in Bayelsa.

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“I want to ask Dickson some questions was it Agip that told him for the past seven and half years not to pay workers full salaries? Was it Agip that told him not to utilise the Paris Fund to pay gratuities and pensions to retirees? Was it Agip that told Dickson not to complete the construction of the 7km road Isaac Boro Express road?

“He should go to Rivers State and see the roads his colleague Governor Nyesom Wike is constructing. The truth of the matter is that Dickson is a drowning man. Bayelsans have rejected him and the PDP completely because of the mismanagement of the affairs of the state.

“So he is trying to come out to feed Bayelsans with lies. It has become obvious to Bayelsans that Dickson has been lying for the past seven years and there is no way to remedy it again so all he is trying to do is blame his woes on innocent firms and individuals but this cannot save him.

“Agip is innocent of all the allegations levelled against it. The allegations are baseless and vague. There are issues of governance for him to tackle he should come home and tackle them instead of going around to deceive Nigerians.”