Drama at Senate plenary as Dickson tackles Binani Dahiru over false claim on Bayelsa population
There was a mild drama during senate’s plenary on Tuesday when legislative debate witnessed altercation between senator Senator Serieki Dickson representing Bayelsa West and Senator Aishatu Ahmed Binani Dahiru representing Adamawa Central.
The Balyesa senator took exception to a comment in her lead debate denigrading Bayelsa as a state with only 8 Local Governments, hence smaller than Mubi a town in Adamawa State.
Senator Binani while advancing argument in support of her bill to establish Federal Medical Centre in Mubi, Adamawa, said the town, with total land mass of 506.4km2 and population of 759,045, is neighbouring nine local government areas.
“This together with the population of Mubi North makes it 2,089,540 people (very much higher than Bayelsa State’s eight Local Government Areas, with a population of 1,704,515).
“Nonetheless, this historic town has suffered from government neglect in terms of federal presence especially in the area of tertiary healthcare delivery,” she said.
But her submission did not go down well with Senator Dickson (PDP, Bayelsa), who faulted her claim on Bayelsa population.
He tackled Senator Dahiru for peddling falsehood in her motion concerning Bayelsa State.
Senator Dickson argued that the size of Bayelsa — the physical land mass and the water bodies — is three times bigger than some state in the country.
He said Binani could make her case without reference to Bayelsa.
Dickson said, “In my Senatorial 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 are counted, who are the residence and how justifiable.”
“I think the discussion is not on Bayelsa population or census conducted before.
“I think we should concentrate on main focus of the motion that will establish the Federal Medical Centre. I agree there are many questions people would like to ask, but I think the essence of this debate is to focus on the principles and merits of the bill and you are very conversant with that process.
Dickson insisting that the bill was laced with falsehood maintained that Binani could have made her point without a reference to Bayelsa, while he called for Bayelsa aspect to be expunged from the bill.
“What I will continue to say with due respect is that debates on this hallowed Chambers must be based on variable facts. So if anyone is standing here, she could as well make her case without making reference to Bayelsa.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan interjected and cautioned Dickson against inputting improper motives to the debate.
“Apparently, I have to guide this contribution because you have made your point and, giving our standing orders, we shouldn’t impute improper motives on the submission by our colleagues.
“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 federal medical centre.
“I agree that there are many questions people will like to raise, but I think the essence of this debate is to focus on the general principles and the merits of the bill,” Lawan said.
But Dickson reiterated his point that “debates and the submissions in this hallowed chamber must be based on justifiable fact, arguing that Binani referred to population figures which were not verifiable.
“I was only rising up to enlighten, without prejudice to the merits or demerits of the bill, that the premise that she has put forward as a reason or one of the reasons why this bill should be considered is faulty. That should be expunged, it should not form part of it. That is not factual, it is incorrect,” Dickson said.
Again, Lawan cautioned Dickson against reducing the debate to reaction to comments.
“I’m sure that is the way you rounded up and let me also say that when you have an opportunity like this, what you do is, if you feel and convince that there is an erroneous presentation, you simply bring out the fact, that this is wrong and this is correct.
“We don’t have to come down and reduce the debate to reaction. You were in the House of Representatives before you became a governor, I’m very sure you are very conversant with our process here. We don’t input improper motives to debates or contributions or interventions by our colleagues,” Lawan told Dickson.
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