Minister of State, Agriculture Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri has dismissed the Commission of Enquiry on 2019 election violence set up by Bayelsa state government, describing it as a ploy to divert attention.
Lokpobiri also described his invitation by the panel as a mere smokescreen to divert the attention of the people of the state from the real issue of the governor’s mal-administration in the past seven years.
The Minister in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media, Mr George Oji, noted that the said panel was illegal as it is strange to the extant laws governing election, the Electoral Act and the Constitution.
Bayelsa state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has also distanced itself from the panel, urging its members not to appear before it.
APC Spokesman Doifie Buokoribo said the PDP government in Bayelsa had no moral rights to be a judge in an election it was party to saying t it was contrary to natural justice to adjudicate in one’s case.
The panel led by Justice Iniekade Eradiri inaugurated by Gov Disvkson shortly after the Presidential and National Assembly elections had invited prominent APC leaders including Lokpobiri to appear before it in Yenagoa.
Lokpobiri advised Dickson to account for his stewardship by explaining to Bayelsa people how he expended the huge financial accruals to the state, which stands N1.4 trillion.
“As we speak, the money that has accrued to the State has increased to N1.4 trillion and there is nothing to show for it. Let Dickson give proper account of this.
“Let Dickson forget about the so called commission of inquiry and give proper account of how this money has been spent.
“This is also a wake up call people of Bayelsans that this is an attempt by Dickson to divert attention from the real issues of corruption and deliberate impoverishment of our people.” Lokpobiri stated.
According to Lokpobiri, “Bayelsa people should begin to interrogate Dickson concerning the volume of money that has come to the state, including the bailout funds, the loans, as well as the domestic and foreign loans,”
“The people should try to match it with the projects and what is on the ground. That is what Bayelsans want to know.”
Lokpobiri challenged Dickson to public debate to explain his stewardship in office.
The minister maintained that the panel is unnecessary adding that there was no single political violence involving the APC in Bayelsa during the last elections in the state.
Lokpobiri condemned what he described as the incessant setting up of such commissions by Dickson, which is not in tandem with the letters and the spirit of the Nigerian Constitution.
