Posted by By Emma Amaize & Sam Oyadongha on
THE political camp of the beleaguered Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa state is depleting by the day with the jettisoning of the group by some of his followers.
YENAGOA - THE political camp of the beleaguered Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha of Bayelsa state is depleting by the day with the jettisoning of the group by some of his followers. The latest is the Leader of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Mr. Steve Ereboh, an in-law to the governor, who, yesterday, dissociated himself from suit No. YHC/168/2005, filed by seven pro-Alamieyeseigha lawmakers against the House for directing the Chief Judge to set up a seven-man panel to investigate the eight-point allegation against the governor and suspension of four members of the House.
Ereboh who neither honoured the invitation of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) nor signed the impeachment notice said that, 'It has been brought to my attention that there has been some publications in the Vanguard of Monday, December 5, 2005, crediting a suit No. YHC/168/2005, filed by Hon. Boyelayefa Debekeme (impeached Speaker) and others including myself as having gone to court to challenge inter alia: the panel looking into the impeachment of the governor and suspension of certain honourable members.
'May I categorically state here that the suit is a fraud as it does not have my endorsement. I never authorized the use of my name or office to institute the action. It is calculated to disparage my image.
'I state here also that I am not a suspended Honourable member and cannot have filed a suit to protest my alleged suspension which does not exist.
'If the suspended Honourable members have a case, they cannot use my good image to launder their ineptitude. I ask for the immediate removal of my name from the suit with profound apology from the plaintiffs", he said.
Counsel to the applicants, Dr. Alex Izinyon (SAN) had in an originating summons, filed before a Yenagoa High Court on behalf of Messrs. Ofoni Williams; Ayaowei Nimibofa; Boyelayefa Debekeme; Steve Ereboh; Johnson Alalibo; Amalanyo Yousuo and Bright Agagaowei, urged the court to declare among other things that the purported proceedings of the House, particularly the resolution to request the Chief Judge to appoint a seven-man panel to investigate the governor is null and void.
But Ereboh insisted, yesterday, that he was not part of the suit. His colleague, Mr. Yousuo who confessed that they were forced to sign the impeachment notice by the EFCC had since joined the anti-Alamieyeseigha lawmakers. His entrance brought the number of the group to 16, thereby making their two/third majority a fait accompli.