Senator Henry Seriake Dickson has condemned what he described as a politically motivated and selective investigation by the Senate Committee on Local Content against former Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva.
The senator recused himself from the hearing yesterday, warning that the focus on a single $14.8 million transaction smacked of targeted justice rather than a fair review of the fund’s management.
“I attended believing it was an interactive forum with the Executive Secretary and his team,” Dickson explained.
“When I discovered it was specifically summoned to probe only one transaction involving Chief Timipre Sylva, I raised objections. If the fund is to be investigated, it should be comprehensively reviewed from inception, not selectively targeted at an individual.”
He noted that the matter had already been partially investigated by the EFCC, questioning the need for further probing of the single transaction.
“It is public knowledge that the EFCC has already taken steps and reached a certain level. I do not believe the committee needs to investigate this particular transaction, even though it has the power to do so,” he said.
Dickson emphasized his personal principle and respect for Sylva, his predecessor as governor of Bayelsa State. “I recused myself because the person affected is a former governor of my state, and I have a policy of not joining to pull down anyone. Politics should be about contests during elections, not destroying opponents after the fact,” he said.
Highlighting the broader dangers of selective justice, he added, “While I and Chief Sylva have not been in the same political party since 2011 and have been on different political sides, I do not engage in politics that seeks to celebrate the downfall of others. If political interests do not align until elections, we resolve those differences at the polls.”
Dickson concluded by reaffirming his commitment to fairness: “We are few; everyone is important. If you cannot help someone, leave them alone, and don’t destroy them. I have always practised and taught this policy. I explained my position to my colleagues in the committee, who saw reason with me, and I left.”
The senator’s statement raises concerns over whether the committee’s approach constitutes selective justice and underscores the political sensitivities surrounding the high-profile probe of Chief Sylva.
