The death of the former governor of Bayelsa state, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has been linked to political vendetta by the All Progressive Congress (APC) driven federal government.
This is the submission of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), the umbrella body of Ijaw youths Worldwide, which has joined the Ijaw groups in accusing the APC-led federal government of remotely inducing the sudden demise of Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, former governor of Bayelsa state on Saturday.The President of the IYC, worldwide comrade Udengs Eradiri, alleged this morning in Port Harcourt the Rivers state capital, that the sudden death of the former governor was traceable to the politics of vendetta and the threat by the APC-led federal government to arrest and extradite the man popularly known ‘Governor-General’ of Ijaw nation to United Kingdom for trial over money laundering and jumping bail in 2005.
The Ijaw youths president claimed that the present government is singling out Ijaw sons and daughters who served in the immediate past administration for persecution.
The IYC president Udengs Eradiri in his reaction, claimed that what killed Alamieyeseigha may not be unconnected to the move to re-open his corruption case after he had served his prison terms and granted presidential pardon.
Eradiri also accused the Buhari administration of undermining the achievements of former president Goodluck Jonathan and witch-hunting Ijaw sons and daughters who served under the Jonathan administration.
The president of Ijaw youth body said the APC government pressured the United Kingdom to reopen a case of money laundering and corruption for which the late former governor had pleaded guilty and served the requisite jail terms and had a presidential pardon.
He claimed further that the news of the plan to extradite Alamieyeseigha jump-started increase of his high blood pressure that led to his heart complications.
Meanwhile, Ijaw National Congress (INC) the canopy body of the Ijaw ethnic nationality in Nigeria and abroad has declared seven days of mourning for their departed illustrious son.
In a statement issued by the INC President, Boma Obuoforibo, the foremost Ijaw group said flags would fly at half mast in all Ijaw communities.
The INC, in the statement described the sudden death at the University of Port Harcourt as a tragedy and commiserated with members of the family.
“The Ijaw nation was thrown into grief by the death of Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, the Governor General of the Ijaw nation, on October 10, at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, following a cardiac arrest.
“On behalf of the Ijaw National Congress, INC, Worldwide, we commiserate with his widow, Mrs Margaret Alamieyeseigha, the entire Alamieyeseigha family of Amassoma, the Ogboin Clan, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State and the government and people of Bayelsa State on this great tragedy that has befallen the Ijaw Nation,” the statement read.
More reactions have since trailed the death of the former governor whose demise was announced on Saturday, October 10, 2015 after a cardiac arrest.
While another ex-governor, James Ibori of Delta state (who spoke from a UK prison) noted that the late Alamieyeseigha had only one house, and was not corrupt like many Nigerians had thought, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti state, affirmed that the APC truly pushed him to his death.
