Yenagoa — This is certainly not the best of times for the Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Prince Boyelayefa Debekeme whose alleged graduation saga is now a subject of discourse among Bayelsans.
None of the former Speakers in the state was embroiled in controversies like the current number three man whose continued relevance in the House, it was learnt, is based not on the support of his immediate constituency, which is the assembly but his loyalty to a Special Adviser and to Governor Diepreye Alamieyeseigha often referred to as the de facto Deputy Governor of Bayelsa State because of the unparallel influence he wields in the Alamieyeseigha cabinet.
Even commissioners and special advisers are said to be at his beck and call and he is reputed to have had a hand in the election (or should we say selection) of most members of the State House of Assembly.
Though Prince Debekeme, Vanguard learnt, was not the popular choice among his colleagues on account of his age, he is believed to have been imposed on the assembly by his mentor even against the wish of the governor who preferred his predecessor Hon Peremobowei Ebebi who sources told our correspondent lost the position due to high level intrigues of the “cartel” because of his independent mindedness.
Since Prince Debekeme came on board tongues have been wagging as to the genuineness of his credentials, an issue which even his colleagues are said not to be too comfortable with and which is being cited as one of the reasons given for attempts to impeach him.
The Speaker has been alleged in some quarters not to have graduated from the University of Port Harcourt as claimed in his curriculum vitae.
The matter however became a public issue even among market women in town when a magazine, Quill News in its May edition accused the speaker of deceiving Bayelsans that he graduated from the University of Port Harcourt when in reality he did not finish from the institution adding that the B.Sc degree in Accounting he is parading is false and urged him to resign.
With the Salisu Buhari certificate forgery allegation still fresh in the minds of Nigerians, the general consensus among Bayelsans is that the allegation against their number three citizen should not just be swept under the carpet but that he should speak out with concrete evidence to clear the air given the gravity of the allegation so as not to give room for suspicion.
Rather than follow the civilized manner of tackling such an issue, a new dimension was added to the unfolding drama when some unknown persons bought the entire edition of the magazine from the news stands.
Even in an attempt to clear his master’s name, the Assembly Director of Press Affairs, Mr. Priye Kiyaramo hurriedly dispatched press releases to the entire media houses in the state urging them to disregard the publication, which according to him, was meant to tarnish the rising profile of the Speaker. This attempt only ended up opening another can of controversy.
Kiyaramo in the statement had stated that Prince Boyelayefa Debekeme, having passed the prescribed university examinations graduated during the 1998/1999 session at the University of Port Harcourt with a B.Sc degree in Accounting, Second Class Lower division in the Department of Accounting, Faculty of Management Sciences citing his matriculation number as U91/28031.
According to Kiyaramo, who also graduated from the same institution, the Senate during its 240th meeting held on June 28, 2000 sequel to an earlier recommendation by the Board of the Faculty of Management Sciences awarded the said B.Sc Accounting degree to Prince Debekeme.
Apparently not satisfied with the statement, observers are of the view that the speaker should produce the 17th convocation brochure of the University of Port Harcourt that covers 1998/1999 session in which the names of graduates of every faculty in the institution were recorded. The name Boyelayefa Debekeme they insisted is not in the brochure.
On realizing that the press statement could not douse the suspicion in the minds of newsmen, the Speaker before he travelled out of the state with the governor through his media aide invited a section of media men who had no inkling of what was in the offing to his office only to meet a young man who claimed to be the Head of the Department of Accounting, University of Port Harcourt.
The mission of the alleged Head of Department was to clear the air on the thorny issue which however he could not handle very well to the consternation of those present.
One issue that has continued to bother the minds of observers of this unfolding drama is why the Speaker could not just present the 17th convocation brochure of the university that covers 1998/1999 session, his alleged year of graduation with a view to putting the controversy to rest.
And if his name was not in the brochure as claimed by his detractors could it have been a case of oversight or a deliberate omission by the school authorities, particularly the exams and records department?
Vanguard findings also revealed inconsistency in the Speaker’s NYSC exemption letter dated July 9, 2000 as presented in the press statement made available to journalists and the contentious issue agitating the minds of observers now is, if really the Speaker graduated in 1998/1999 session why was his NYSC exemption letter delayed till 2000 unlike others whose exemption certificates were ready in the month of graduation.
Only last week, the Movement of the Ijaws International in a philosophical statement entitled “the masquerade” in Bayelsa State House of Assembly’’ lamented the cover up of the alleged scam.
The statement signed by its National President, Comrade George Ekiokenigha read thus: “The masquerade in Bayelsa State House Assembly will soon be unveiled and the gravity of that scenario shall be devastating that the gang boss with the remote control will also have his ambition severely daunted with streaks of missiles streaming in from different directions uncontrollable.
"There is nothing beneath the sun that is hidden forever and the state Bayelsa is known for its mystical exuberance that natives also do not take for granted”.
Whether the Speaker will rise up to the occasion to put to shame the peddlers of this romours by presenting a fool proof defence is left to be seen.
