Posted by BY GODWIN IJEDIOGOR on
FRIDAY, December 9 moved rather fast for Bayelsa State and its embattled governor,Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha.
FRIDAY, December 9 moved rather fast for Bayelsa State and its embattled governor,Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha.
Before noon, however, it was all over for the embattled governor as he was arrested at the Government House,Yenagoa, in the presence of his aged parents. He had earlier been impeached by 17 out of 20 lawmakers.
The veil of immunity which he enjoyed for six and a half years as governor was removed by the lawmakers before 11.15 a.m, paving way for the security men to bundle him to the police station about 11.30a.m yesterday.
Yenagoa,the state capital stood still, yet not many residents knew what was playing out at the state House of Assembly Complex on Mbiama Road, Marata, Yenagoa.
By 8.30 a.m yesterday, The Guardian had put a call through to the Speaker of the State House of Assembly ,Mr Paramobowei Ebebi on the latest development. He hinted that the House was going to sit to decide the fate of the governor.
According to him, the House already had the report of the panel set up to investigate the governor's alleged misdeeds in its possession and was going to decide the governor's fate that morning, "if he does not resign".
Ebebi added that the House was going to sit in Yenagoa. He was apparently speaking from outside the state as he hinted, "we are going to Yenogoa to sit."
About two hours after the call to the Speaker (10.30am), another call was through to the governor on his GSM line:
What is happening to you? What is the latest development now?
I learnt that I have been impeached by the House of Assembly without due process.
What do you mean by without due process?
There was no due process because the panel (set up to investigate his alleged offences) has not even sat.
So how did that happen?
I don't know. That is Nigeria for you. I understand that they (security men) just escorted the Assembly members to the state House of Assembly and they just pronounced that I have been impeached.
Now that that has happened, what is your reaction; what is your next move?
The next thing is that I envisage that I would be arrested. That is all.
If you feel the impeachment was not in order or did not follow due process, are you going to challenge it? What are you going to do now?
Well, I want Nigeria to know that from the beginning, we have been shouting and this was anticipated. I did not close my mouth.
Then the drama...(The telephone went dead,and a repeat call almost immediately). The embattled governor, when asked what his next move would be, continued: "I am already being arrested now. I can't talk to you any further now."
Asked whether there were security agents already around him, he sounded unequivocal, in a steel military voice: "I have already been arrested."
His telephone went dead.