The Senator representing Bayelsa – West in the 9th National Assembly, Senator Seriake Dickson wash his hand clean on the allegation that he has hand in the revocation of Bayelsa Oil Field.
Senator Dickson said that his response become necessary to debunk the false propaganda around the revocation of Atala Marginal Field by the Federal Government and its subsequent reallocation.
The statement read, “Although Bayelsans and discerning members of the public would know that I am not in a position to do so, I still feel the need to make this clarification.
“I hereby use this medium to state without equivocation that I am not and will never be in support of the revocation of Atala Marginal Oil Field from Bayelsa State Government, its BOCL or any other asset of the state government for that matter
“I am not and will never be in support of its subsequent reallocation by the DPR and the Ministry of Petroleum Resources to anybody.
“Long after leaving office, sometime early this year, I read the announcement of the Ministry of Petroleum and DPR, canceling some non performing licenses, including Atala Marginal Oil Field. For the first time in a long while, I put aside political differences and called the Minister of State for Petroleum, Chief Timipre Sylva, to register my personal displeasure on that.
“I told him that he should not allow the revocation to happen to our state while he is Minister.
“In that discussion, I also encouraged him to support as many of our people who were interested in the bidding round that had commenced at the time.
“Today, I discussed with the governor on the issue and he explained to me that he is also opposed to the revocation of our oil license and has already taken administrative and legal steps to retrieve it, a position I fully support.
“I call on Bayelsans to discard any unnecessary rumor, name calling and propaganda and support the state government to resolve this issue which I believe will be done in the interest of the state.
“This I will support wholeheartedly and I call on the Minister of state for Petroleum Resources who is also a Bayelsan to support and work with the state government to resolve this for the benefit of our people, so at the end of the day, Bayelsa state does not lose out, the statement concluded.
