To mark Nigeria’s Independence and the 16th anniversary of the creation of Bayelsa State, the governor, Seriake Dickson made some shocking announcements yesterday.
In a statewide broadcast, he announced that he will honour some controversial people: the former governor Diepriye Alamieyeseigha and ex-military dictator, late Sani Abacha.
According to the governor, Mr.
Alamieyeseigha, who has also been indicted of corrupt activities in
England and the United States, will be honoured for his “commitment to
the Ijaw struggle”.
The controversial former governor, Mr.
Alamieyeseigha has had a string of criminal charges. In July 2007, he
pleaded guilty to a six- count corruption charge before a Nigerian
court and was sentenced to two years in prison on each count. He also
once jumped bail in the UK in December 2005 and absconded by allegedly
disguising as a woman. He was also charged with money laundering when
the London Metropolitan Police found about N253 million in cash in his
London home. He is still a wanted man in the UK.
The second person, late Sani Abacha, he
said, would be immortalized for creating the state of Bayelsa. Bayelsa
was created 16 years ago when Gen. Sani Abachi in a national broadcast
announced its creation from the old Rivers State.
The late Abacha is a former dictator
who has been indicted of looting Nigeria’s treasury. Several millions
of dollars has been recovered from him and he was said to have ordered
the murder of late Kudirat Abiola.
Premium Times
reports that an auditorium in the Ijaw National Congress, INC,
secretariat, built by the state, will be named after Mr.
Alamieyeseigha . Similarly, a planned 150-duplex housing estate would
be named after Mr. Abacha.
The Bayelsa state governor is gradually
building a reputation as a controversy loving governor. His recent
appointment of Nigeria’s first lady, Patience Jonathan as permanent
secretary in the state raised a lot of eyebrows. And now this!
Be Sociable, Share
No comments:
Post a Comment