Daily Independent Online.
*
Wednesday, July 14, 2004.
Re: Trial of Governor Alamieyeseigha
Following the recent scathing remarks of
Justice Mustapha Akanbi, the ICPC Chairman on Governor D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha,
there seems to be a calculated and renewed attempt from a section of the Press
to smear the image of the Governor of Bayelsa State. Notably among them are the recent publications of the Daily Sun newspaper of June 18, 2004 titled
“Corruption: Akanbi vows to prosecute Alamieyeseigha” and the July
5, 2004 edition of The Source magazine, entitled “Trials of Governor
Alamieyeseigha”.
While the publication in the Daily Sun under reference was an interview
story where the ICPC Chairman was reported to have said that Governor
Alamieyeseigha will be prosecuted as soon as he ends his tenure, the source story
was more or less an exhumation of an earlier mudslinging story of the magazine
did on the Governor a few years ago.
There is no doubt that the two stories are obviously rejuvenated efforts
aimed at puncturing Governor Alamieyeseigha’s future political ambition.
For the statement credited to the ICPC Chairman in
the Daily Sun,
one is at a loss as to why the Anti-Corruption Commission helmsman decided to
single out the Bayelsa State Governor for vilification without minding the
inherent implications. Afterall,
the ICPC Chief also disclosed that the Commission has investigated five
Governors. Therefore, why then the
selective and designative action against the Bayelsa State Governor? Certainly,
Justice Akanbi’s actions and attitude smacks of bias and prejudice. Because there should be equity and
fairness in handling sensitive issues like corruption that borders on the
integrity of those affected. To
absolve himself from the accusation of bias, the ICPC Chief should have also
mentioned the other governors in question.
And to further prove that there is a tinge of bias in
Justice Akanbi’s action, one could recall vividly, the earlier action of
the Commission when futile efforts were made to cause the Chief Justice of
Nigeria to appoint an Independent Counsel to investigate the allegations made
against the governor in two petitions.
That action was only terminated when Governor Alamieyeseigha went to
court and secured a ruling in his favour to the effect that a serving Governor,
the immunity clause in section 308 of the 1999 Nigerian Constitution gave him
protection. Till date, ICPC has
not gone that far with any serving Governor ostensibly because of the failed
attempts at nailing Governor Alamieyeseigha.
With regard to The Source magazine story concerning the
petitions earlier written by Festus Gbassa and Weinipre Noel Digifa, Justice
Akanbi himself has confirmed that the two petitioners have since withdrawn from
pursuing he matter further. Their
withdrawal or disinterestedness was based on the fact that their actions were
politically motivated aimed at preventing the Governor from getting a
second-term ticket. This
unexpected turn of events must have jolted the game plan of the ICPC team as it
has definitely perforated ICPC’s case against Governor Alamieyeseigha.
The so-called preponderance of evidence the Anti-graft Commission has must have
fallen like a pack of cards as the case against the Governor is based
essentially on information elicited from two petitions.
Indeed, the interest shown by The Source magazine in the affairs of the
Bayelsa State Governor has gone beyond sheer journalistic commitment. Rather, the magazine has shown in many
ways that it is committed to bringing down the Governor at all costs as its
stories border more on blackmail than professionalism as it does not make
attempts at balancing issues. The
latest story of the magazine has not come-up with anything new other than to
sensationalise issues that are not new in anyway. The magazine and the writer simply took advantage of Justice
Akanbi’s remarks to re-introduce the matter for public discourse to
further advance their hidden agenda to discredit the Governor at all cost.
For the ICPC Chairman, Justice Mustapha Akanbi, it is
obvious that he is eager to catch more big fishes in his net following his
success in arraying some former ministers recently. Having been accused of not spreading his net deep enough to
catch big fishes, he is a bit desperate seems to be his target.
If the ICPC wants to succeed in its crucial national
assignment, then it must be seen to be fair in its pursuit, no matter the
personalities involved. There
should be no sacred cows. The ICPC’s averment of a clean bill of health
for President Obasanjo should be taken with a pinch of salt, as his continuous
hold onto the petroleum portfolio is still inexplicable. We in the oil and gas rich Niger Delta
cannot be deceived.
No amount of bullying by Justice Akanbi as Elder
Statesman, Chief Harold Dappa-Biriye said in a recent press interview, can
intimidate us in the Niger Delta.
Let Alamieyeseigha alone to continue his focused development of Bayelsa
State.
Fidelis Oyakeme,
Rumuigbo,
Port Harcourt.
