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A BITTER quarrel has broken out between Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State and his deputy, Dr. Jonathan Goodluck, culminating in an ambush for the governor, Tuesday, by the deputy governor's kinsmen; a staccato of gunshots by suspected thugs allegedly hired by an aide of the governor to scare away the people; and the decision of Dr. Jonathan to shun yesterday's State Executive Council meeting, which was presided over by Governor Alamieyeseigha.
*Gunshots as deputy's kinsmen ambush Alams
YENAGOA - A BITTER quarrel has broken out between Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa State and his deputy, Dr. Jonathan Goodluck, culminating in an ambush for the governor, Tuesday, by the deputy governor's kinsmen; a staccato of gunshots by suspected thugs allegedly hired by an aide of the governor to scare away the people; and the decision of Dr. Jonathan to shun yesterday's State Executive Council meeting, which was presided over by Governor Alamieyeseigha.
The governor who himself was locked in a meeting with his cabinet yesterday is to forfeit property worth N2.5 billion in London and N312 million worth of bail securities to the British authorities following his escape from London.
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, speaking on the governor yesterday said he (governor) was being investigated by the police.
However, the governor was, at press time, yet to receive the notice of impeachment which 17 members of his state Assembly claimed, on Tuesday in Lagos, to have served him.
The State Commissioner for Information, Culture, Tourism and Strategy, Mr. Oronto Douglas, however, dismissed the claim that there was a rift between the governor and his deputy when contacted on the development. He said Dr. Jonathan did not attend the EXCO meeting because he wanted to rest after guiding the state successfully during the governor's absence.
Information at the disposal of Vanguard indicated that the deputy governor who felt marginalised in the scheme of things with the way some of the governor's aides were doing things after his arrival.
For instance, he was not happy that despite the pressure he resisted to unseat the governor, his boss did not take him into confidence on his escape from London.
Crestfallen, the deputy governor decided to stay away from his office, Tuesday. He travelled to his village, Otuoke in Ogbia local government area of the state without the knowledge of the governor. It was, however, gathered that the governor asked for his whereabouts when some money that was required from the bank could not be cashed.
A source said the governor was told that the deputy governor was in his hometown and he sent a message for him to come but Dr. Jonathan refused to honour the invitation, prompting the governor to travel to Otuoke with some aides, Tuesday.
Some youths in the village who anticipated that Chief Alamieyeseigha would come for Dr. Jonathan barricaded the road and that was how some people who were armed in the entourage fired several gunshots to scare them away. The plan succeeded as the youths took to their heels.
The gunshots attracted the villagers who marched to the deputy governor's residence and formed a cordon around it. They refused the governor entry into the house and it was not until Dr. Jonathan came out to plead that he should be allowed in was he allowed to enter.
Our source said Chief Alamieyeseigha told his deputy of his quandary and asked him to sign some cheques, which he did not oblige. An unconfirmed report said the governor also wanted him to formally sign a handover note to him but Dr. Jonathan refused to play ball. It took the ingenuity of Alamieyeseigha to convince his deputy to follow him to Government House to sort out other gray areas.
It was reliably learnt that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had instructed the banks in the state not to honour cheques up to a specified amount from the governor and it was because of that Alamieyeseigha saw himself in a conundrum. A privileged source said after the discussion, the villagers allowed the governor to drive out of the deputy governor's gate but stopped Dr. Jonathan who was following the entourage behind in his own car from going out. The deputy specially appealed to his people that he was going to attend to some urgent work with Alamieyeseigha before he was allowed to go with them.
Special Adviser to the governor on Political Matters, Chief Thompson Okorotie, confirmed to Vanguard that he saw the governor and his deputy at about 5.00 pm in Government House when he was leaving the office but available reports said both men were in Government House till 9.00pm, Tuesday.
An EXCO meeting, the first since Alamieyeseigha returned was billed for yesterday, but a reliable source said the deputy governor was not officially communicated about the meeting and that it was while the meeting was in progress yesterday, that a circular was sent to him. Governor Alamieyeseigha commended his deputy when he returned for the successful manner he handled the affairs of the state while he was away but it appeared that some political 'hawks" had fed him with gossips about Dr. Jonathan, which has caused a strain in their relationship.
'As at now, the deputy governor is more confused than before because he did not expect that this would be his reward for loyalty to the governor," a source said.
Commissioner Oronto who briefed newsmen on the outcome of the meeting said it was well attended and that the deputy governor excused himself to be absent from duty. On purported waylay of the governor at Otuoke, he told Vanguard that he only knew that the governor went to see his deputy and was not aware of any ambush.
Alams forfeits property to Britain
For breaching his bail conditions, Governor Alamieyeseigha is to lose about N2.5 billion worth of property in London, the British High Commission in Nigeria has said.
The commission also said the governor, who is currently facing impeachment charges in his state, would forfeit about N312.5 million worth of bail securities and sureties to a court in London.
In a statement in Abuja, the Commission maintained that the Metropolitan Police would seek an arrest warrant at the Bow Street Magistrate Court over the governor.
The statement: 'The Metropolitan Police Service has confirmed to the High Commission that Governor Alamieyeseigha is in breach of the bail conditions set by the Southwark Crown Court in the United Kingdom, which include the requirement to report daily to the Paddington Green Police Station in London.
'The governor failed to report to the police station on Friday, 18 November and on subsequent days. The Metropolitan Police Service retain the passport seized from Governor Alamieyeseigha at the time of his arrest and retained as a condition of his bail.
'Bail securities and sureties totaling £1.25 million remain in place and assets valued at approximately £10 millioin are currently restrained by order of the High Court in London.
'The courts in the UK, normally grant bail in cases where a person has been charged but is not deemed to be threat to public order, and those bailed are not put under 24 hours surveillance. When bail conditions are breached any securities and sureties in place are liable to be declared forfeit.
'The Metropolitan Police will also seek an arrest warrant in respect of Governor Alamieyeseigha at Bow Street Magistrates Court. We deplore the fact that Governor Alamieyeseigha chose to break his bail conditions rather than face a court of law in the Unite kingdom. But any one tempted to launder the proceeds of corruption in the UK should be aware that the this will not deter the UK authorities from conducting investigations or from working with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other Nigerian law enforcement agencies. The UK Government is staunchly committed to the fight against financial crime in Nigeria and elsewhere."
IG speaks on him
The Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, commenting on the Alamieyeseigha saga yesterday said although Section 308 of the Nigerian Constitution confers on the governor immunity from arrest, he was being investigated.
'The hallmark of the present police force is that we act and perform our functions within the confines of the law. We are not empowered by our constitution to arrest a serving governor because it gives him immunity. But that does not prevent him (governor) from being investigated or his office," he said at an interactive session with DIGs, AIGs and Commissioners of Police from across the country.
Mr. Ehindero said it was because of the argument on whether the Police have right to investigate such cases against governors like Alamieyeseigha, that he (Ehindero) went to the Supreme Court in the case of Gani Fawehinmi vs. the IGP, with the court ruling that immunity does not prevent investigation.
He had been asked to comment on reports that the Police might be compelled to arrest the governor following allegations made against him (governor).
Alamieyeseigha, cabinet meet
Bayelsa State Executive Council met for the first time since Governor Alamieyeseigha returned from London, yesterday, with issues of security and peace in the state topping the agenda. The government was worried that if not properly handled, those angling for a state of emergency in Bayelsa could have their way and appealed to the people to remain calm.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after emerging from the session presided over by Governor Alamieyeseigha, the Commissioner for Information, Culture, Tourism and Strategy, Mr Oronto Douglas, said the 2006 appropriation was also tinkered with and expressed optimism that giant stride would have been made before weekend.
His words: 'We reviewed what is happening in the state and thanked Bayelsans for remaining peaceful. In a democratic situation, matters like these are matters that should be given time to discuss and consensus agreed. That nothing should provoke anybody to resort into violence and those with different views should be free to express it because is a democracy.
'The debate about the 2006 budget has commenced and we are hoping that before Friday, significant decisions would have been taken with respect to the budget."
Sack notice yet to be received
The impeachment notice, which the Bayelsa State House of Assembly Speaker, Mr. Ebebi, claimed, Tuesday, had been served on Governor Alamieyeseigha has neither been seen nor received by the governor. An official of the Bayelsa State government told Vanguard, yesterday, in Yenagoa that: 'We are all here in Yenagoa when the Speaker and others were invited by the EFCC on Monday and by Tuesday, when they purported to have served an impeachment notice, they are not back in Yenagoa and the Speaker has not seen the governor. So from where and at where was the impeachment notice served on the governor?"
The state Commissioner for Information, Culture, Tourism and Strategy, Mr Oronto referred Vanguard to the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Mr. Preye Wariowei, who said the governor had not been served with an impeachment notice.