Niger-Delta Governors Shun Alamieyeseigha Burial

Defying a downpour which lasted several hours on Saturday, thousands of ordinary people of Bayelsa state marched out to pay their last respects to the late ex-governor of the state, Mr Diepreye Alamieyeseigha. Curiously, none of the governors of all the nine Niger Delta states, the oil-producing area, for which cause the late politician became popular, was present at the ceremony, except the governor of Imo State, Mr Rochas Okorocha.

Apart from Okorocha, whose arrival elicited a loud ovation, governors of the region who were absent at the occasion were the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike; Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and Cross River Governor, Prof Ben Ayade.
Other governors who neither attended nor had any representative at the event were Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State ; Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia; his Akwa Ibom counterpart, Udom Emmanuel and Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State. Perhaps, to also underline the sharp political division in the state, neither ex-governor Timipre Sylva nor Timi Alaibe, a former Niger Delta Development Commission Managing Director, who was prevailed upon to step down for Sylva during last year’s primary election of the All Progressives Congress, were present.

The deceased, who as governor championed the ‘resource control’ battle against former President Olusegun Obasanjo was also called the Governor-General of the region for his role in the implementation of the 13 per cent derivation.
Alamieyeseigha was buried in a prepared tomb in his compound at Amassoma, Southern Ijaw local government yesterday afternoon after he was eulogised by those present at the ceremony, including the Acting Peoples Democratic Party chairman, Mr Ali Modu Sheriff, Mr Jolly Nyame, a former governor of Taraba State and ex-President Goodluck Jonathan of Bayelsa state marched out to pay their last respects in honour of the late ex-governor of the state, Mr Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

Curiously, none of the governors of all the nine Niger Delta states, the oil-producing area, for which cause the late politician became popular, was present at the ceremony, except the governor of Imo State, Mr Rochas Okorocha.

Apart from Okorocha, whose arrival elicited a loud ovation, governors of the region who were absent at the occasion were the Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike; Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa and Cross River Governor, Prof Ben Ayade.
Other governors who neither attended nor had any representative at the event were

Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State ; Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia; his Akwa Ibom counterpart, Udom Emmanuel and Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State.
Perhaps, to also underline the sharp political division in the state, neither ex-governor Timipre Sylva nor Timi Alaibe, a former Niger Delta Development Commission Managing Director, who was prevailed upon to step down for Sylva during last year’s primary election of the All Progressives Congress, were present.

The deceased, who as governor championed the ‘resource control’ battle against former President Olusegun Obasanjo was also called the Governor-General of the region for his role in the implementation of the 13 per cent derivation.
Alamieyeseigha was buried in a prepared tomb in his compound at Amassoma, Southern Ijaw local government yesterday afternoon after he was eulogised by those present at the ceremony, including the Acting Peoples Democratic Party chairman, Mr Ali Modu Sheriff, Mr Jolly Nyame, a former governor of Taraba State and ex-President Goodluck Jonathan.

Thisday