Posted by By CHIDI OBINECHE, VICTOR OGBONNAYA, FEMI FOLARANMI and BASHIR UMAR on
Moves by opponents of Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieseigha, to begin the process of his impeachment failed Monday as the 24-member state's House of Assembly approached at the weekend for this shunned the overture.
Moves by opponents of Bayelsa State Governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieseigha, to begin the process of his impeachment failed Monday as the 24-member state's House of Assembly approached at the weekend for this shunned the overture.
Daily Sun gathered that to frustrate the move, the Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon. Boyelayega Debekeme; Majority Leader, Hon. Steve Ereboh and Deputy Chief Whip, Hon. Johnson Alaribo have fled to London in solidarity with the governor.
It was gathered that despite threats, other members of the House have blocked their ears to any talk about removing the governor from office.
To foreclose any impeachment, the Deputy Governor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, who would have benefited from such action, has expressed his support for the embattled governor.
In a statement last night, signed by his press officer, Mrs. Rosemary Oputa and entitled, "I am one with Governor Alamieseigha," Goodluck said that the "Bayelsa State Executive Council remains one indivisible family committed to the lofty ideals of democratic governance put in place by the governor"
The Deputy-Governor assured Bayelsans, the Ijaw nation and the country at large that the present travails of the governor were normal challenges that leaders face and that this will soon be over.
However, National Vice-Chairman of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu, said the party would meet to discuss the matter and take a stand. On his part, Senator Tunde Ogbeha disagreed, saying: "It is not a party matter, rather, it is a question of national image and an individual."
Also reacting to Alamieyeseigha's travail, former governor of Cross River State, Mr. Clement Ebri, described the entire episode as smacking of "executive profiling." This is even as the Ijaw National Congress (INC), the umbrella body of Alamieyeseigha's Ijaw Nation accused the Federal Government of "plans to foment trouble in Bayelsa State with the arrest and restrictions of Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha in London."
The group, at a World Press Conference in Yenagoa, addressed by its president, Prof. Kimse Okoko, explained that the arrest of the governor was an "action by the powers-that-be to actualize their evil desire to hang onto power beyond 2007."
The groups said that the arrest of Alamieyeseigha was planned to create a crisis situation in the state with some youths already being mobilized to instigate crisis paving the way for the declaration of a state of emergency in the state.
"It is obvious that the action is designed among others to achieve the political objective of denying Governor Alamieyeseigha any role in the forthcoming crucial meetings/conventions of the PDP, which is in a state of permanent crisis by the hangmen since the governor is seen as a strong supporter of the Vice-President," the groups said.
Issuing a stern warning to all perpetrators of the plot against the governor, the group warned them not to risk the consequences as "the Ijaws cannot accept a situation where one of its most patriotic leaders is being vilified and humiliated without any shred of evidence."
Meanwhile, senators have expressed disappointment over the arrest of Alamieyeseigha. Senate leader, Senator Dalhatu Sarki Tafida, blamed the immunity clause in section 308 of the 1999 constitution as responsible for the "misbehaviour of some state chief executives," adding: "That is why I don't believe in the immunity clause and left to me, it should have been expounded long ago."
In his first ever comment on the controversial arrest, President Olusegun Obasanjo said the arrest of Alamieyeseigha has brought shame to Nigeria.
Speaking in Abuja, the President said that the governor abused the respect, and confidence reposed in him by his people and Nigerians.
"I see his arrest as a form of disappointment to the nation and a shame to our people. And with what has happened what confidence do you think the outside world would repose on other state governors?"
Meanwhile, the Federal Government has directed the Joint Security Task Force based in Warri to beef up security around oil installations and other government property.