The former Governor of Bayelsa State Senator Seriake Dickson during plenary at the senate today got into a battle of wits with his colleague Aishatu Dahiru who had earlier claimed that a local government Area in Adamawa State Mubi was bigger than and had more population than the whole of Bayelsa State. 
Sen. Seriake Dickson tackled his colleague saying she wasn’t enlightened enough and was making a statement that was not factual. Dahiru had made the claim while presenting a bill that proposed the creation of the Federal Medical Centre, Mubi.
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Speaking at the senate, Dahiru said;
The population in Mubi north and south LGAs is very much higher than Bayelsa state’s eight local government areas.
Nonetheless, this town has suffered from government neglect in terms of federal presence especially in the area of tertiary healthcare delivery.
Sen Seriake Dickson however countered this by stating that Bayelsa state is bigger than many states. He said;
“In my senatorial district, it will take me four days to go round. In my local government, Sagbama, it will take me three days to go round.
“I just felt I should rise up to enlighten the sponsor of this bill and, by so doing, the rest of the country.
“When people talk about population, they should be careful because if you go deep and ask who conducted the census, who verified what and what were counted, who are the residents and how justifiable, you would shudder.”
After being cautioned by Senate President Ahmad Lawan for digressing, Sen Seriake Dickson then replied and said;
“The discussion is not on the population of Bayelsa or population census conducted before; we should rather concentrate on the main focus, which is on the establishment of a Federal Medical Centre.
“Debates and submissions must be based on verifiable facts.
“Dahiru referred to population figures which are not verifiable. The basis is not explained.
“I only rose to enlighten and contribute without prejudice to the merits or demerits of the bill; that the factual premise that she has put forward as a reason or one of the reasons why this bill should be considered is faulty.”
Photo Credit: Getty
