Ex-President Goodluck Jonathan was conspicuously absent as General Yakubu Gowon, a one-time Military Head of State commissioned the new Bayelsa State Government House which cost over three billion naira.
The “uncommon” absence of Dr Jonathan on such important occasion, observers said points to the wide gap between him and Governor Seriake Dickson in recent times. While government officials claimed that the former President was invited, a close aide and relation of the former President told The Tide  that he was not aware that he was invited.
Commissioning the project, General Gowon accompanied by his wife, Victoria, commended Dickson for putting a great edifice that would help in formulation of good policies.
He, however, reiterated the need for completion of projects started by the previous administration, saying, in governance, “when people are happy, you become happier”.
In his speech earlier, Dickson had described Gowon as one the greatest modern father of the nation who as a military leader, created Rivers State which later gave birth to  Bayelsa State.
He said the invitation of Gowon to commission the project was to show appreciation for his love to Ijaw nation.
At Kaiama, the headquarters of Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, where General Gowon commissioned the IJaw National Academy, he said Governor Dickson’s revolutionary approach to educational development would turn around the fortunes of Bayelsa State in the near future.
Describing the facilities at the Academy as impressive, the former Head of State noted that the vision behind the setting up of the free boarding secondary school is commendable, as it is designed to achieve academic excellence and capacity building.
While charging the students to make optimal use of the scholarship programme and protect the facilities provided for them, he expressed optimism that they would be among other Nigerians that would take the country to greater heights in the foreseeable future.
Presenting a cheque of  N97m to the Trust Fund, Governor Dickson explained that in addition to the N100 million recently released, government deducted N97 million from the salaries of both political appointees and civil servants for the month of June, 2017, including the 5% contribution from the State monthly internally generated revenue.
The governor said he was proud of his achievements in the education sector, noting that it was under his leadership that boarding schools were established and funded by the state government, 20 years after the creation of Bayelsa State to nurture and build a crop of future leaders for the Ijaw nation and the country as a whole.