Dickson deliberately lost Bayelsa to APC, says Wike

· Accuses outgoing governor of trade-off

December 23, 2019

Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike has alleged his Bayelsa counterpart Seriake Dickson colluded with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to lose the just-concluded governorship election.

Dickson, he alleged, struck a deal with the APC to lose in state in exchange for protection from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) after handing over.

APC’s Lyon David defeated Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate Senator Douye Diri in the November 16 governorship poll.

It was the first time an opposition party would win the governorship seat of the strong PDP enclave.

Explaining what led to the development in a chat with reporters on Monday in Port-Harcourt, Wike, according to a statement by his Special Assistant on Electronic Media, Simeon Nwakaudu, said Dickson merely traded off the seat for his post-governorship protection.

He said that the outgoing Bayelsa State Governor was never committed to the PDP all through the elections.

He said: “We are the only State in the South-South that President Muhammadu Buhari never got 25percent.

All those nocturnal promises were not kept. I challenge Dickson to ask his candidate, Senator Douye Diri the contributions I made. Is it because I didn’t pass it through him?

“Dickson planned for PDP to fail elections and he is now crying Federal Might. He assumed the role of God.

“Nobody could tell him anything. During his second term election, people resisted the Army. But this time, they left him alone.

“You cannot accord Former President Goodluck Jonathan respect. Simply because Rivers State honoured Jonathan, Dickson became angry.”

He added: “Dickson concluded plans to join the APC. Timipre Silva and Heineken Lokpobiri blocked him. He knew I have strength. He would have consulted me.