Posted by Bamidele Adebayo and Ofonime Umanah on
The beleaguered Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha appears to be in double trouble as he may be prosecuted in Nigeria over money laundering offences before being possibly extradited to Britain.
The beleaguered Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha appears to be in double trouble as he may be prosecuted in Nigeria over money laundering offences before being possibly extradited to Britain.
Competent sources in the intelligence circles told Sunday Punch that the authorities took the decision after weighing other options proposed by experts.
Officials of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC] and top functionaries at The Presidency reportedly had an explosive debate on the various options open to the authorities on how to deal with the governor following his sudden appearance in Nigeria.
The Chairman of the commission, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, was said to be opposed any forceful extradition of the governor because of the likely implication on the image of the country.
'It is not necessary to extradite him immediately because that will be in violation of the 1999 Constitution. Such action could boomerang. We will deal with the governor decisively based on the laws of the land since we have enough evidence to nail him, " he reportedly said.
Besides, Ribadu argued that it was better to allow the governor to face the music in Nigeria before his extradition (if at all, that option will be considered) because the Nigerian law against money laundering recommends very tough sanctions.
It was learnt that stakeholders in Bayelsa on Thursday in Abuja finalized part of the processes to facilitate his impeachment from office to pave way for his arrest and consequent arraignment in Nigeria.
Indeed, a source said that the 17 out of the 24 members of the State House of Assembly, who relocated to Lagos shortly after the governor sneaked into the country after jumping bail in London, are to return to Yenogoa, any moment from now.
It was gathered that more batches of security personnel were to be deployed in the state by weekend as part of the official moves to create an enabling environment for the lawmakers to carry out their assignment.
Two hundred soldiers involved in Operating Restore Hope, were moved from Warri, Delta State, on Wednesday to Bayelsa under the first phase of the security beef up for the area.
The legislators served the governor an impeachment notice on Tuesday before they took refuge in Lagos, about 1000 kilometres from Yenogoa.
The EFCC had sent a report to the state assembly, claiming that the governor owns more than N1.7 billion assets.
He is also alleged to own a multi-million US dollar oil refinery in Ecuador as well as acquire Chelsea Hotels, Abuja, at N1.5 billion and two property in London at 2.79 million British pounds.
Alamieyeseigha is equally accused of laundering state funds through six companies, acquiring N1 billion shares in Bond Bank, and buying three property in Ikoyi, and Allen Avenue, Ikeja at N850 million.
Sources at the EFCC said its men had discovered more shady deals transacted by the governor through fronts.
In one instance, Alamieyeseigha reportedly bought a building located in the Government Reservation Area [GRA], Ikeja for N500 million.
The mansion was originally offered to a top functionary in The Presidency to buy, but he reportedly turned down the offer because the authorities could easily trace the choice property to him.
The governor is also being accused of diverting public funds to the tune of N6 billion into a private account in a new generation bank in Lagos.
The latest facts reportedly informed the decision of EFCC to invite three Lagos- based lawyers and a popular businessman for interrogation last Tuesday in Abuja.
One of the lawyers was said to have facilitated most of the property illegally acquired by the governor.
It was learnt that the lawyers had vehemently protested against the invitation since they had honoured a similar summon in the past on the same matter.
But the officials of the commission reportedly told them that the invitation was a mere routine exercise as part of the functions of the EFCC.
Their arrest reportedly rattled the governor, who, according to sources, was beginning to regret his decision to jump bail in London.
The lawyers were allegedly interrogated on the activities of two companies namely, B Union and B Union Enterprises.
The latter, which the EFCC claimed was not registered with the Corporate affairs Commission [CAC], allegedly failed to execute a N145 million job after securing the contract.
They were also accused of having possibly facilitated the return of the governor to Nigeria from London where he was to face trial on money laundering charges.
However, EFCC sources told us that the lawyers were released to the President of the West African Bar Association (WABA), Mr. Femi Falana on Saturday, while another lawyer, Mr. Muhammad Adori, stood as surety.
They were asked to report at the EFCC office in Abuja on Monday.
Contacted on the information that the governor may be tried at home before his extradition if he is eventually impeached, Ribadu confirmed that it was one of the options being considered by the EFCC.
'We prefer him to be tried at home because the punishment for money laundering offences in the United Kingdom is milder in that country than Nigeria."
Meanwhile, there are indications that the wife of the governor had gone into hiding after being granted bail.
Sources at the EFCC said it was not true that she had escaped to the United States. The British authorities reportedly ordered her to report to the London police on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
It was also gathered that the police arrested two of the governor's children at Liverpool last week for being in the illegal possession of 20,000 US dollars.
They were reportedly released after surrendering the money to the police authorities.
Sources at EFCC also claimed that the British police believed that the 500,000 pound bail bond signed by the Nigerian businessman, Mr. Terry Wayas was facilitated by the state government.
Also on Saturday, our correspondent learnt that members of the state house of Assembly who had planned to return to the state on Friday had to put off the plans when security reports reached them that it was no more safe to return to the state.
One of the newly elected legislators told our correspondent that the legislators who had since left Lagos for another part of the country would however return to Yenagoa after the expiration of the 14-day ultimatum given the governor to respond to the impeachment notice on him.
As events continue to unfold in the state, opinions were divided as to the possibility of getting the governor out of office and consequently extraditing him to London to face the trial he tried to run away from.
A commissioner, who hails from the same senatorial district as the governor, however, told our correspondent that Alamieyeseigha was seriously ruffled by latest developments, particularly the seizure of the state allocations by the Federal Government.
But then, he said it might not be easy getting him out of the way, although he admitted that it was beginning to dawn on the governor that he might not remain in office till the end of the year.
The commissioner said the governor was gradually assembling his personal effects in the Government House, just as he continues to encourage his aides not to panic. " On one hand, you see him put things together as if he wants to travel.
"But at other times, when you meet him, he will talk to you as if nothing was amiss', the commissioner said. He added that the impeachment move " is a 50-50 thing and I can assure you that it will not be easy."
Already, seven of the 17 lawmakers said to have signed the impeachment had reportedly backed out.
The commissioner also said that the deputy governor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, might not return to the Government House as long as the governor remained, although he added that there was no threat to his life.
In supporting the decision of the Federal Government to seize the state allocations, the chairman of the ruling PDP in the state, Mr. Fred Agbedi, said the government should be commended for the decision, as it would prevent the governor from further damage to the state resources.
To him, the best option in the circumstance was for the governor to resign rather than wait to be impeached.
"Some of us are happy with them and we congratulate them for that action so that Bayelsa can be free. The suffering of six years of looting is not more than the one that will last for weeks. I know that in the next few weeks, it would be over and the money would be released to the next person (governor).
SUNDAY PUNCH, November 27, 2005