The South-South Elements Progressive Union (SSEPU), a non-governmental organisation based in Bayelsa State has challenged Governor Timipre Sylva to account for the N465 million purportedly expended for the failed visit of President Umaru Yar’Adua to the state.

The group led by its Chairman Joe Ambakeredimo, flayed the continued detention of three civil society leaders by the Chief Sylva-led government for expressing their fundamental human rights.

Sunday Champion recalled that the State Commissioner for Information, Strategy and Orientation, Chief Asara A. Asara, told newsmen last Monday that government spent a whopping N465 million on the botched visit; hence no further funds would be released to the various committees during the reschedule visit of the number one citizen later this month.

Chief Asara was quoted as saying that President Yar’Adua was billed for a two-day working visit to the state between June 29 and 30, but the activist described Asara as being economical with the true position of the money spent.

Ambakeredimo noted that "It is my strong belief that a fresh budget will be presented whenever the President decides to visit the state, not minding the previous budget. The Governor owes Bayelsans that explanation of how that money was spent."

The activist stated that the Sylva-led government has not embarked on any mass oriented project in the state since it came on board, despite closed to N200 billion accrued to the richly endowed state for the past two years and asked "what does he wants Mr. President to come and commission?"

"Is he not disturbed that the President cancelled the earlier visit because of the fillers of wrong doing that he receives daily under Sylva’s leadership? Most of the projects listed for commissioning by the President were started by the previous administration. It is an acceptable fact that government is a continuous process, but it behoves on this administration to show proof of the billions it has received so far.

"The constant attack on critics in the state by government using its security apparatus is an indication of a man who wears the garb of a dictator. Dictators, whether in civil or military governments abhor constructive criticisms and so does Sylva.

"I, therefore, condemn in the strongest terms the arrest, detention and prosecution of Preye Olomu, Alaibiri Alexander and Don Stowey of Niger Delta Youth Assembly for expressing their fundamental human rights" he said.

He lamented that only few months ago the Governor whisked the Abuja Correspondent of Fresh Facts newspapers to Yenagoa for carrying out his legitimate responsibility", he said.