BREAKING… DSP Alamieyeseigha is dead

The first executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha is dead.

He reportedly died at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, Rivers State.

He reportedly slipped into a coma two days ago and was placed on life support, before passing on at the age of 63.

He was said to have been rushed to UPTH after he developed health complications. Sources said he died at 4:30pm on Saturday.

Though there was no official confirmation of what killed him, it was gathered that Alamieyeseigha who until the incident was very popular in the state might have died of High Blood Pressure (HBP).

But others said he died of kidney-related problem.

Alamieyeseigha was said to have developed the complications after returning from an undisclosed hospital in Dubai, United Arab Emirate (UAE) where he went for medical checks.

Unconfirmed sources said he could not complete his treatment in Dubai after he learnt of his extradition request by the United Kingdom (UK).

He was said to have abandoned his treatment and headed for his home in Amasoma, Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, out of fear that he could be picked from there.

Uk recently requested the extradition of Alamieyeigha for prosecution on corruption charges.

The news of his death which spread across the state like wildfire was received by many people with shock and disbelief.

Alamieyeseigha garnered much popularity as the governor of the state between May 1999 to December 2005 after retiring from the Nigerian Air Force as a Squadron Leader.

His second term was terminated on December 9, 2005 by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly when he was impeached.

He was later arraigned before a Nigerian court on six-count charge of corruption; he pleaded guilty and was sentenced to two years in prison on each count.

On March 12, 2013, former President Goodluck Jonathan, in a move that generated outrage, granted pardon to Alamieyeseigha, whom he once described as his political benefactor.

The extradition request by UK had caused panic in Bayelsa as many groups rose to condemn it describing it as a double jeopardy.

The news of his death was said to have hit the Governor of the state, Mr. Seriake Dickson, like a thunderbolt as he was hoping to leverage on the popularity of Alamieyeseigha to drive his campaign for a second term.

Until his death, Alamieyeseigha was a strong advocate of Dickson’s second term and was being positioned to lead his campaign.

Alamieyeseigha’s travails started when he was impeached on allegations of corruption on 9 December 2005.

On the 27th of July 2007 (after being under EFCC sustody for close to two years) he pleaded guilty to charges of corruption and money laundering brought against him by the EFCC.

Read also: Bayelsa: Tension over plans to extradite Alamieyesiegha

To show its determination in extraditing him, the British government recently tabled a formal request to the Nigerian government.

For the British Government, the former governor has an outstanding case in the UK on money laundering which is waiting for him to answer.

The Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee on Corruption, Professor Itse Sagay, was quoted as saying that the President Buhari-led government is prepared to assent to the request of the British Government.

He said that the United Kingdom has every legal right to demand for the extradition of the former Bayelsa State Governor.

“The UK is in principle correct to be making such a request based on the fact that the crime was committed on the British soil. However, when there is delay in trial as a result of time, there may be consideration on legal grounds so that the trial is not seen as oppressive,” he said.

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was born on November 16^th, 1952 in Amassoma, Ogboin North Local Government Area, Bayelsa State. He attended the Bishop Dimeari Grammar School, Yenagoa. He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy as a Cadet Officer in 1974, then joined the Nigerian Air Force, where he served in the department of Logistics and Supply.

He held various air force positions in Enugu, Markurdi, Kaduna and Ikeja. Alamieyeseigha retired from the air force in 1992 as a Squadron Leader.

After leaving the air force he became the Sole Administrator of Pabod Supplies Port Harcourt. Later he became Head of Budget, Planning, Research and Development of the National Fertiliser Company (NAFCON).

He was elected Governor of Bayelsa State in May 1999 as a member of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP). He was re-elected in 2003.‎

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