Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa on Friday refuted claims by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, that the newly- constructed cargo airport in the state was flooded.
Dickson, to prove Oshiomhole wrong conducted newsmen round the airport runway.
He the airport was yet to commence business as a result of delay on the part of regulatory agencies in giving approval for the use of the facility.
He also clarified that the amount spent on the acquisition of land, clearing, sand filling and actual construction of the airport was N70 billion and not N100 billion as claimed by Oshiomhole.
Recall that Oshiomhole had, during a meeting with the immediate past Minister of State for Agriculture, Sen. Heineken Lokpobiri and some state governors on Thursday, accused Dickson of spending N100 billion on the airport which, he said, had been flooded.
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The Governor wondered why Oshiomhole would choose to malign a fellow South South indigene.
“It is clear from this visit that former Gov. Adams Oshiomole lied when he was quoted as having said that the airport runway is flooded.
“All the visitors confirmed that the 3.5 km. runway was high above flood level.
“So the question is: why is a fellow South-South person deliberately maligning another governor from the region? Is this the way to play politics, even with the development of the people?
“This is the height of flood in Bayelsa state, but as you can see, there is no flood here; we reclaimed these parcels of land before starting the construction.
“This airport has one of the best runways in this country; so we will not join Oshiomhole in playing politics with the fortune of our people,” Dickson said.
