Politics

Ijaw groups blame APC for Alamieyesegha’s death

Published

9 years ago

October 11, 2015

A number of pan-Ijaw groups on Sunday after the sudden death of former governor of Bayelsa State, Dieprieye Alamieyesegha, came out with a common stand that the All Progressives Congress (APC) should be held responsible for the incident.
In their separate statements made available to the media, the groups said the recent extradition notice purportedly issued by Britain on the former governor aggravated his health condition and his eventual death.
A socio-cultural organisation, Izon Brotherhood in the Diaspora, in a statement from Germany, and the Ijaw Heritage and Cultural Club based in the United States and the Izon Diaspora Association based in Ireland, all drew the same conclusion.
The spokesman of the Izon Brotherhood, Arc. Pere Jones, condemned the alleged role of the APC which he said influenced the inclusion of Alamieyesiegha’s name among those wanted by the UK government even after going through the whole legal hurdles of prosecution, conviction and later pardoned.
Jones was particularly critical of the role allegedly played by some Ijaw sons whom he accused of working hand-in-hand with the APC to undermine the Ijaw nation.
The Ijaw Heritage and Cultural Club on its part, in the statement signed by one Prof. Julius Eteli said that Alamayiesiegha’s death was curious given the fact that he regularly received medical treatment abroad, adding that the former Governor-General of the Ijaw nation had actually returned from such medical trips in Dubai believed to have been facilitated by the Bayelsa State Government.
“Clearly, it must have been the report of his extradition to the U.K that must have triggered his health condition for the worse and the sudden death”, the group stated.

It, therefore said the APC government should be held responsible for the death of Alamayiesiegha, noting its alleged role by instigating the British authorities to issue an extradition notice. The group also claimed that the alleged extradition notice, from all indications, was targeted at witch-hunting the late former governor, asking “why wait all these years until now to issue such a notice?”
Convener and leader of the Ireland, Izon Diaspora Association, Comrade George Magbisa said, “Now that he has been taken out, we Ijaws must fight against this injustice. Now is the time to unite, come together and fight against this calculated and very deadly plot by the APC government to deplete our ranks”.
Meanwhile, feelers from the streets of Yenagoa, the state capital, revealed an atmosphere of gloom, anger and a deep sense of loss among the people over the death of the former governor.

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