‘I don’t pull down opponents’ — Seriake Dickson recuses self from panel probing Timipre Sylva

Seriake Dickson, senator representing Bayelsa west, has recused himself from a sitting of the senate committee on local content.

He took the action after “discovering” that it was an investigative hearing into allegations of diversion of $14.8 million by Timipre Sylva, former minister of state for petroleum resources.

On November 10, the EFCC declared Sylva wanted over the allegation.

In a Facebook post on Friday, Dickson said he had attended the meeting believing it was an interactive session with the executive secretary of the board and his team.

He said he objected to the hearing when he learnt the committee convened it specifically to examine the allegation against Sylva.

The senator said he argued that any inquiry should cover the “entirety of the management of the fund from inception”, and not focus on a single transaction.

He said the approach appeared “too selective”, especially as “it is public knowledge that the EFCC has already taken steps” on the matter.

“I recused myself because the person affected is a former governor of my state — my predecessor in office, and I have a policy of not joining to fight or pull down anyone,” he wrote.

“I am not like other politicians from my area or the typical politicians in Nigeria who celebrate the downfall of opponents and people they disagree with.

“The person concerned and I have been on different ends, leading different tendencies in various political battles in my state since 2011 till date.

“While we do not meet or speak or pursue any common political agenda, and we have not been in the same party since 2011, I do not practise politics that involves pulling people down or contributing to their problems.

“I have always limited political contest to campaigns during elections, where I outplan, out-campaign, strategize, and defeat them on the ground and through legal processes, but never by trying to bring anyone down after elections.”

Joel-Onowakpo Thomas, chairman of the panel, said the committee has accepted Dickson’s decision.

“I want to state here categorically that it is not out of place to hear something that is happening in a board that is being oversighted and one cannot ask for that specific information,” Thomas said.

“There are other issues that we are doing, but this one is on the front burner.” (The Cable)