Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has blamed the death of the first civilian governor of state, Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha, on harassment by undisclosed persons which forced to abandon his medical care abroad, has revealed.
Governor Dickson in a broadcast on Tuesday, confirmed that Alamieyeseigha was forced to abandon his medical treatment in an undisclosed foreign country following fears that he was going to be arrested and extradited to the U.K.
Alamieyeseigha died last Saturday at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State.
Alamieyesseigha was facing extradition by the U.K government for jumping bail when he was arrested in London over alleged money laundering in September 2005.
Gov. Dickson decried what he termed the propaganda and orchestrated harassment that led to the untimely death of the “Governor-General”, and called on the people of the state and Ijaw nation to maintain the peace, as they mourn their departed leader, whom he described as a man of peace.
“To us as a people at this trying time, this sad incident should serve to unite us and to rededicate ourselves to the ideals that he stood for”, Mr. Dickson said.
“We acknowledge the anger, disappointment and the sense of outrage felt by our people at home and in the diaspora, well-meaning Nigerians and others around the world for the way and manner he was harassed and forced to abandon his treatment abroad.
“However, this is not a time for recriminations and divisions but rather a time for sober reflections. I therefore call for all and sundry, particularly the youths to remain calm and maintain the peace as we mourn our departed leader”, he stated.
The governor also announced the postponement of the official flagging off of his re-election campaign earlier scheduled for Saturday in Yenagoa, the state capital, in honour of Mr. Alamieyeseigha.
He also declared a seven-day mourning period during which all flags in public buildings and places would fly at half-mast.
The Bayelsa governor said the country and particularly the Ijaw ethnic nationality, lost a foremost statesman and leader and the state government was determined to give Mr. Alamieyeseigha a befitting state burial.
“The state government is determined to accord him a befitting state burial. In this regard, a high powered burial committee led by the Deputy Governor has been constituted. This committee will work out details of the programme with the family and other relevant stakeholders”, he said.
While eulogising the former governor, Dickson said Alamieyeseigha in his life time, apart from serving Nigeria as a military officer, also dedicated himself to the service of Bayelsa State and the entire Ijaw nation, both as governor and in other capacities.
“His selfless devotion and service to Bayelsa State and the entire Ijaw nation earned him the sobriquet, Governor-General of the Ijaw nation in his lifetime”, he said.
Dickson added that condolence registers had been opened at Government House, the state secretariat complex, Ijaw House in Yenagoa and the state liaison offices in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt in honour of the deceased.
