What to do about Alamie on the Lam Print E-mail
Wednesday, 23 November 2005

We had previously joined issues with some big wigs regarding Alamie’s right to Sovereign Immunity. The basis and reason for the courtesy of the Diplomatic passports is the fact that the personalities are leaders and as leaders of their people group they have been accorded some respect. As honorable men, they ought not to be arrested, and if arrested mistakenly, when their Very Important Personalities are revealed and confirmed, are expected to be immune from prosecution. Some have even argued that the good Governor-General has the same immunity vested in the President of Nigeria.

Respect begets Respect

It sometimes happens that the law enforcement agents get the wrong person and arraign him or her before the courts of law. In civilized systems where the Rule of Law prevails, the person is accorded that presumption of innocence in law; meaning the prosecution has to prove the accused guilty. Sometimes too, as in the current case in review, the issue is the applicability of a law maxim or exemption, in this case Sovereign Immunity. A person is allowed in law if found with a lot of money in cash, even one million pound Sterling to a defense. In such extreme case of cash discovery, you are served better if you hire a Queens Counsel to represent you. Further still, if not satisfied because of the color of skin argument, you may even add a Jewish QC to argue oyibo to oyibo. But when you escape in the middle of the night (dressed as a drag-queen or not) breaking your bail conditions, all bets are off.

Lawless Governors

The precedent set by the governors of Plateau and Bayelsa is this:

1. If you can get away from the law, run.

2. There is no need for law in Bayelsa/Plateau State if you can outsmart the cops, just do it.

3. The governor has no moral authority to put anyone in jail having jumped bail himself.

4. Do not wait for the courts to present your arguments, if arrested, if you can break other laws to get away, just do so.

5. You can break into any bank in Bayelsa/Plateau and claim that monies have been withheld from you community for so long that as their representative, you can grab it and put it away in your family trust for your community.

6. You can break into the governor’s house and rape his close kin because the state has withheld infrastructural development from you and some anonymous writers on NVS would exercise their freedom of speech to laud and goad you to hell.

What the Senate Can Do

To be taken seriously, the Senate in Nigeria must consider their role and place in the history of Nigeria . The best way to aid the anti-corruption drive would be to expunge the immunity clause for the governors. Laws are supposed to be enacted to meet current needs. The effectiveness of the rule of law is jeopardized by public disregard for the law by officials. We expect a draft bill to be presented for discussion NOW.

What the PDP Can Do

In the interest of the party, the officials must declare the governor a persona non grata and pull all the strings on him. This is also an opportunity to visit all the acts of illegalities done on the behalf of the party, if the PDP does not want to reinforce the notion that the PDP is a bunch of lawless politicians. To hide under the blanket saying that it is an internal affair of the party is to destroy our fledging democracy.

What the Bayelsa House Can Do

Having submitted the issue to a disciplinary committee, the Bayelsa House can now refer the Governor there to give his side of the story. To tell to the nation what happened in England , was he found with that much cash, for what purpose? Did Alamie jump bail; if he did, was it legal or the right thing to do. What did his Attorney-General know and when and when. If he swore to a false set of facts, then he should be held accountable. Why should any common criminal who feels like being unfairly treated in Bayelsa not jump bail? The house can record their transaction and do their constitutional duty.

In the long run

Those who have traveled establish networks, business and social; and those who invest in houses, intend to live there or even transact businesses in their place of residence. Carting money and hiding it in England or elsewhere is done so that if the house called Nigeria falls flat on account of the thieving, Alamie and his family can run to when things get rough. Those cables have been properly burned.


Yours truly,
Eric Terfa Ula-Lisa Esq.
Read my new book at
http://www.authorhouse.com/Bookstore/ItemDetail.aspx?bookid=31639



RobotRobot is offline 
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 # 1

We had previously joined issues with some big wigs regarding Alamie’s right to Sovereign Immunity. The basis and reason for the courtesy of the Diplomatic passports is the fact that the personalities are leaders and as leaders of their people group they have been accorded some r...Read the full article.

Posted by Robot| 23.11.2005 00:20

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 # 2

Well, the Bayelsa House of Assembly (in exile) has initiated impeachment proceedings but it seems that they are the ones on the run. Again we see the hands of the EFCC in all of these and one wonders whether it is truly a crime fighting organ or a part of the political establishment. Again, we see the glaring hand of Abuja in all of these things and as always, it will prove counter productive as it did in the case of Dariye.

All the bellyaching would not change one fact, we are ruled by criminals who stole the ballot and the earlier we are rid of all of them the better it will be for all of us. Somehow it is a suprise that anyone is suprised at their antics.


Alamieyeseigha gets impeachment notice

Our correspondents

The Federal Government on Tuesday began the impeachment of the Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

A report of the governor’s assets valued at over N1.7billion was sent to the State House of Assembly by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission on Tuesday.

The report formed the basis on which the Assembly served the governor a notice of impeachment.

As at press time, 17 out of the 24 members of the Assembly had relocated to Lagos.

The Speaker of the Assembly, Mr. Peremobowei Ebebi, who held a late night press briefing at the Victoria Continental Hotel, Lagos, said the notice, dated November 18, 2005, was dropped at the Government House, Yenagoa, before they shifted base to Lagos.

He said, “We have served a notice on the governor. He is to respond to eight impeachable offences within 14 days or tender a resignation letter.

“If he does not reply, we will complete the impeachment procedure thereafter. The governor is a fugitive who is not fit to rule the state again.”

Investigations revealed that the lawmakers might shift their plenary session to Victoria Island, Lagos, to remove the governor.

They said they could not sit in Yenagoa because of the tense security situation in Bayelsa State.

But in its report, the EFCC said it had traced over N1.7billion to eight of the governor’s accounts in the United Kingdom.

It also said that it had uncovered an oil refinery in Ecuador; six companies and 18 choice properties, including Chelsea Hotel, Abuja, acquired by the governor. The properties are in Britain, Lagos, Abuja and Port Harcourt.

The submission of the report to the assembly, however, coincided with a mass protest in Yenagoa against the return of the governor to office.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission handed over the report, dated November 21, 2005, to the Speaker, Ebebi.

On Tuesday, the speaker and some members of the assembly were guests of the EFCC in Lagos to clarify their involvement in the allocation of funds for constituency projects.

The EFCC report signed by the commission’s chairman, Alhaji Nuhu Ribadu, said interim investigations showed that the governor was guilty of conspiracy, fraudulent diversion of public funds, and money laundering.

The report read, “Mr. Speaker, please find attached the above report for further necessary action by the State House of Assembly.

“You will note that the governor has been indicted, is being prosecuted in the United Kingdom and he has jumped bail. Please accept the assurances of any high regard.”

It said inquiries in Nigeria and abroad on Alamieyeseigha’s properties and bank accounts revealed the following:

• That he holds a personal bank account with Barclays Bank Plc, which was opened on 5th January 2004 and the balance stood at £203,753.34 as at 15th February 2005.

• He holds a personal bank account with HSBC, London, but the account was closed sometimes in March 2003, while all the money in the account was transferred to Santolina Investment Corporation’s account with National Westminister Bank, London.

• It was confirmed that he is the sole Director of Santolina Investment Corporation and sole signatory to the company’s account with the National Westminster Bank with A/C No. 10182819 Sort Code 15-00-25 in London.

• He also holds personal account with Bond Bank in Lagos which was opened sometimes in January 2004 and the balance stood at N105,314,942.61 as at 16th September 2005 and another personal account in Oceanic Bank Plc.

• The sum of $2.5million has been discovered in an account which Alamieyeseigha personally held with UBS Warburg AG, 1 Curzon Street, London, WIJ 5HB.

• It is also believed that a substantial amount of money has been transferred to a company called FALCON INC, with an account in the same UBS Warburg AG, 1 Curzon Street, London, WIJ 5HB.

A letter of instruction written by Alamieyeseigha showed how he instructed the bank to transfer a sum of $1.5million from his personal account to the account of the company.

• Alamieyeseigha holds bank accounts in Cyprus with Barclays Bank Plc at International Banking Unit, 88 Dighemis Akritas Avenue, 1644, Nicosia. The account numbers are 7341553/7341596 for US Dollars, 7341454 and 7341588 for GB Pounds Sterling and 7341561 and 7341618 for EURO. An equivalent of more than GBP 3million is believed to be deposited in these accounts.

• Alamieyeseigha holds a bank account in Denmark with JYSKE Bank at Besterbrogate, 9, DK-1780, Copenhagen V. The client number is 959878-8275 and the account number is 5005220454-7. A sum of $500,000 had already been frozen in the account.

It is also believed that he holds substantial bonds within the bank reference number 959899-5203. The account and the bonds appeared to be in the name of Santolina Investment and Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.

• He holds two (2) JYSKE Visa Cards numbers 4809 0225 9878 and 4809 0215 9878 8272.

• He established a trust with UBS Trustees (Bahamas) Ltd., P.O. Box N-7757, East Bay Street, Nassau, Bahamas. Details of the Trust are as follows:- The SALO TRUST in the names of Enitonbrapa Alamieyeseigha, Embelakpo Alamieyeseigha, Ebipadei Alamieyeseigha, Oyamuyefa Alamieyeseigha, Saleaka Alamieyeseigha and Margaret Alamieyeseigha.

• He holds an account with the Bank of America in the name of Peter Alamieyeseigha with account number 0054 8256 2491 which balance stood at $160,000.00 as at August 2003.

• The sum of GBP 1,350,000.00 being the annual premium for Insurance Policy No. 1E1/0405/0012/AR/HQ in respect of the Kolo Creek Power Station Yenagoa, has been traced in an account at Barclays Bank, Knightsbridge, London, SWIX 7NT, A/C No. 80041262, Sort Code 20-47-35, IBN:GB 87 BARC 2047 3580 0412 62 SWIFT BICGB22 held by a certain First Investment & Finance Corporation. The premium is for an All Risks Cover for the Gas Turbine for a period between 22/6/2005 and 21/6/2006.

The EFCC further gave a breakdown of the properties owned by the governor.

Alamieyeseigha was a Director of an offshore company named Solomon & Peters Ltd (two middle names) and there are four (4) London properties he bought and registered in the company’s name. These properties are:

• 247, Water Gardens, London, W2 2DG, which is the registered address of Solomon & Peters Ltd. This property was purchased for £1.75million on 20/8/2003.

• 14, Mapesbury Road, London, NW2 4JB. This property was purchased for £1.4million on 6/7/2001.

• A multi-million US Dollar oil refinery in Ecuador said to be owned by Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha is also being investigated.

It has also been established that he owns the following properties in Nigeria:

Lagos

• Two blocks of luxury flats at Plot 26 Bashir Dalhatu Close, Abacha Estate, Ikoyi, Lagos worth N450million.

• A mansion at 4A, Ilu Drive, Ikoyi, Lagos worth N250million.

• An estate of six luxury duplexes at No. 1, Community Road, Off Allen Avenue, Ikeja, Lagos worth N200million.

• 12, Adeyemi Lawson Street, Ikoyi, Lagos.

Abuja

• No. 7, Mississippi Street, Maitama, Abuja.

• Chelsea Hotels Abuja worth N2billion. The sum of N1.5billion has so far been paid by Chief D.S.P. Alamieyeseigha from the State government accounts held in Intercontinental Bank and International Trust Bank. A company by name Herbage Global Services Limited scheduled to have taken over the management of the hotel after the purchase is being investigated.

• A property at John Kadiya Street, Off Jose Marti Crescent, Asokoro, Abuja worth N350million.

• Bayelsa State Governor’s lodge located at Iro Dan Musa Street, off T.Y. Danjuma Street, Asokoro Area, Abuja, was also established to be owned by him.

• Plot 916 & 917, Wuse II district, Abuja.

• Plot 7, Cadastral Zone A6, Maitama Abuja.

• Plot 1267, Amazon Road, Abuja.

• Plot 3375, Cadastral Zone A6, Abuja.

• Plot 1372-1374, Cadastral Zone A7, Wuse II, Abuja.

• Plot 1281, Cadastral Zone A4, Asokoro, Abuja.

Port Harcourt

• Continental Bank Building, Boro Park, Port Harcourt.

• 3, William Jumbo Street, Old GRA, Port Harcourt was discovered to have been purchased in 2001 for N35million.

• Plot 42 (No. 20) Obagi Street, GRA Phase 1, Diobu, PH.

The commission further said over one billion naira shares in Bond Bank were also traced to Alamieyeseigha.

On the companies owned by the governor, the EFCC gave the names as Santolina Investment Corporation (UK); Solomon & Peters Ltd. (UK); Pesal Nigeria Ltd; Salomein & Associates (Nigeria) Ltd; Kpedefa Nigeria Ltd; Jety Properties Ltd.

It added that a lot of people had been identified to have connived and assisted Alamieyeseigha in stealing public funds.

The EFCC listed the governor’s suspected accomplices as the Bayelsa State’s Commissioner for Finance; the Accountant General; the Attorney General (who vetted and approved the bogus and inflated contracts) and the impeached speaker of

the House of Assembly who led other members to approve all the appropriation bills that gave cover to the looting of the treasury.

A cross-section of Bayelsans comprising elders, youths, children, market men and women marched from “Down Yenagoa” to the ever-busy Yenagoa, Mbiama Road.

The protesters, who wielded placards bearing anti-Alamieyeseigha inscriptions, did not destroy any public property.

They chanted, “He (Alamieyeseigha) is a rogue”, and “Alamco must go”, without being molested by riot policemen.

The protesters got to the Government House gate at 1:50pm, without attempting to go in, and proceeded to the state’s House of Assembly.

But the lawmakers, who adjourned on Thursday to reconvene on Tuesday, were away to Lagos.

The PUNCH, Wednesday November 23, 2005

Posted by Unregistered| 23.11.2005 03:39

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UnregisteredUnregistered is online 

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 # 3

One man fit chop all that? Kei. I am in the wrong job. That immunity clause should be revoked immediatly for all governors.

Posted by Unregistered| 23.11.2005 06:48

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=Unregistered>One man fit chop all that? Kei. I am in the wrong job. That immunity clause should be revoked immediatly for all governors.




BUT HIS PEOPLE HAVE SOMEWHAT BELIEVED HIS PENTECOSTAL WELCOME SPEECH - WE ARE IN SERIOUS TROUBLE AS IT UNIMAGINABLE TO THINK ABOUT HOW THEY WILL WELCOME A FATTER SACRED COW WHO WHALLOPED 300 BILLION IN JUST ONE CONTRACT.
(see below)

The Punch, Tuesday November 22, 2005

In Bayelsa, a convoy of over 200 vehicles, with riders of commercial motorcycles, took over the ever-busy Yenagoa-Mbiama Road, singing, drumming and dancing. The supporters of the governor displayed his portraits during the re-entry carnival.

Thousands of Bayelsans also lined the streets of Yenagoa to welcome the governor, with shops, offices and business outfits closed temporarily to welcome the governor.

The governor rode in an unmarked, black Range Rover with a gold-plated coat of arms and flags of Nigeria and Peoples Democratic Party on both sides.

A cousin of Alamieyeseigha, Chief Abel Ebifemowei, who is also his Special Adviser on Youth, Government House Transport and Logistics, who earlier escaped arrest by the EFCC, also rode in one of the jeeps.

While addressing his supporters at Amassoma – his hometown – Alamieyeseigha, said he could not reconcile how he got to the state.

He said, “I give God the glory. God does not want to share His glory. This is an experience. Experience strengthens man, which nobody can buy. At the appropriate time, I will explain.

“I thank Bayelsans for the support. It is difficult to comprehend how my people love me. If things did not happen this way, you will not appreciate who is your friend or enemy.

“As somebody who has come to be a torchbearer, I see all these as a price a leader has to pay.

“The thought coming to my mind while in prison was that if half of my people could understand that their leader was going through all these because of them, I would have been a fulfilled man.”

Posted by guest| 23.11.2005 09:58

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NonyellumNonyellum is offline 
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 # 5

If Ribadu can do such a thorough job on one man, what's stopping him from doing same on OBJ and the rest of the thieving Gov and legislooters? Selective persecution.

If all the above is true, I'm all for his impeachment. The Bayelsa assembly signed the impeachment notice under threat of EFCC probe, nobody's is clean in this whole mess. OBJoke is as guilty as the rest of them.

The bitter pill for me a Niger Deltan is that OBJoke is free to continue to harrass and intimidate my people using Nigerian governemnt marchinery, provided by revenues from my land. It is too much of an insult, it is a rape once again on Niger Delta, but the struggle for our emancipation from the clutches of a barbaric Nigerian dictatorship continues.

I do not condone thievery, but I sure will not accept the labels coming from OBJoke and his thieving cabal. It takes one thief to know another.

Posted by Nonyellum| 23.11.2005 13:29

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LADDYLADDY is online 

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 # 6


=Noyellum>If Ribadu can do such a thorough job on one man, what's stopping him from doing same on OBJ and the rest of the thieving Gov and legislooters? Selective persecution.

If all the above is true, I'm all for his impeachment. The Bayelsa assembly signed the impeachment notice under threat of EFCC probe, nobody's is clean in this whole mess. OBJoke is as guilty as the rest of them.

The bitter pill for me a Niger Deltan is that OBJoke is free to continue to harrass and intimidate my people using Nigerian governemnt marchinery, provided by revenues from my land. It is too much of an insult, it is a rape once again on Niger Delta, but the struggle for our emancipation from the clutches of a barbaric Nigerian dictatorship continues.

I do not condone thievery, but I sure will not accept the labels coming from OBJoke and his thieving cabal. It takes one thief to know another.



RESPONSSE

VERY VERY WELL SPOKEN MY BROTHER. THIS EXACTLY WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYIING.

Posted by LADDY| 23.11.2005 17:56

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LADDYLADDY is online 

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 # 7


=Noyellum>If Ribadu can do such a thorough job on one man, what's stopping him from doing same on OBJ and the rest of the thieving Gov and legislooters? Selective persecution.

If all the above is true, I'm all for his impeachment. The Bayelsa assembly signed the impeachment notice under threat of EFCC probe, nobody's is clean in this whole mess. OBJoke is as guilty as the rest of them.

The bitter pill for me a Niger Deltan is that OBJoke is free to continue to harrass and intimidate my people using Nigerian governemnt marchinery, provided by revenues from my land. It is too much of an insult, it is a rape once again on Niger Delta, but the struggle for our emancipation from the clutches of a barbaric Nigerian dictatorship continues.

I do not condone thievery, but I sure will not accept the labels coming from OBJoke and his thieving cabal. It takes one thief to know another.



RESPONSSE

VERY VERY WELL SPOKEN MY BROTHER. THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT EVERYONE IS SAYIING.

YOU GUYS NEED TO IMPROVE THE FONT SIZE OF THIS SITE THO SO WE CAN SEE WHAT WE ARE TYPING!!!! AH AH EVEN WITH READINF GLASSES THE THING TOO SMALL NOW!

Posted by LADDY| 23.11.2005 18:01

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EezeeBeeEezeeBee is offline 
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 # 8

You know, just reading that record of what this IMBECILIC CRIMINAL has done to enrich himself makes me sick... sick enough to pick up a gun and... No! I wouldn't soil my hands or life with the blood of such vermin.

Every day I see Ijaw people living not at poverty levels but FAR, FAR below. It saddens me to see ANYBODY in Nigeria living below all their full potential (OH HOW I HATE THAT WORD - POTENTIAL) in Nigeria.

There is SIMPLY NO REASON why we cannot ALL live much, much better, fulfilled lives!

So, owning ALL he tried to own, how did it do ONE THING for him? He still looked like an absolute ASS and honestly, like one poster said in another related posting, all Nigerian women should beseige Bayelsa government house and ask for his head because he diminished the collective and unparalleled beauty of the Nigerian woman!

Geez!

Posted by EezeeBee| 23.11.2005 18:15

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PalamedesPalamedes is online 

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 # 9

Stolen money and doggy investments everywhere but not even one in his own Bayelsa state or have I overlooked something?

I don’t know whether it is the manner of his escape from London or the jubilant crowd that makes me feel saddest. It is all too much for me - I need a lie down.

Posted by Palamedes| 23.11.2005 20:04

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