Posted by By Samuel Oyadongha on
Amid reports of the alleged deteriorating health of the embattled governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, in prison, a non-governmental organisation, Niger Delta Concerned Elite has appealed to President Olusegun Obasanjo to use his good disposition as Chairman of the African Union (AU) to wade into the matter.
Yenagoa - Amid reports of the alleged deteriorating health of the embattled governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, in prison, a non-governmental organisation, Niger Delta Concerned Elite has appealed to President Olusegun Obasanjo to use his good disposition as Chairman of the African Union (AU) to wade into the matter.
Governor Alamieyeseigha was arrested in London, last month, by the Metropolitan Police and subsequently remanded in prison custody by a British Court following his arraignment for laundering 1.8 million pounds found in cash and in bank accounts.
President of the organisation, Chief Brian Enegadefa Ebi, in an interview in Yenagoa while advocating constructive dialogue approach in appealing to President Obasanjo pleaded with youths in the Niger Delta to remain calm and shun all forms of confrontation with the Federal Government over the arrest.
According to him, the best way out of the current problem was through the use of diplomacy and not violence and threats which would further complicate matters for the embattled governor.
He noted that the Ijaw nation is not prepared to go to war with anybody adding that rumours of violence in the region were unfounded.
The British government, Chief Ebi said, has a very cordial relationship with the people of the Niger Delta and would not want anything to undermine that friendship.
While expressing fear over the possible outbreak of hostilities in the area, he warned that already, the Niger Delta has been militarised and called on the youths not to allow a repeat of the Odi incident which, according to him, could be more devastating if allowed.