Alamieyeseigha"s Death, a Rude Shock - Atiku

THE Ijaw Heritage and Cul­tural Club, based in the Unit­ed States of America (USA) disclosed yesterday, how for­mer Bayelsa State governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyesei­gha died after a medical trip to Dubai.
In a statement issued by Prof. Julius Eteli, its coordi­nator, the group said it was shocked beyond words by the news of Alamieyeseigha’s sudden death and regretted the circumstances surround­ing it.
Eteli said Alamieyesei­gha’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.
“From available reports, the Bayelsa State Govern­ment has always been of as­sistance to him, taking care of his medical bills and upkeep. The question is: how can a man, who had just returned from Dubai having been at­tended to by experts die sud­denly? 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.

Another pan-Ijaw group based in Ireland, Izon Dias­pora Association, in its state­ment also condemned the demise of Alamieyeseigha, which it said was caused by the APC government for political reasons.
Meanwhile, sympathis­ers have besieged the family home of the late former gov­ernor of Bayelsa State, who passed on Saturday at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital ( UPTH).
His home in Amassoma was quiet but the one located at Alamieyeseigha Drive, Opolo, Yenagoa was tensed as some boys went on ram­page on Saturday night de­stroying vehicles parked in the neighbourhood on hear­ing about his death.
A family source explained that some of his children were expected to attend the family meeting before the family would issue a formal statement on his death.
The source, however, said the family was treading softly because of the health condi­tion of the widow, Mrs. Mar­gret Alamieyeseigha, whose health also deteriorated im­mediately after the death of her husband.
Bayelsa governor, Henry Seriake Dickson is cutting short his trip abroad over Alamieyeseigha’s sudden death.
Alamieyeseigha is a prom­inent member of the Dick­son re-election team as he is heading the PDP campaign advisory council.
Dickson, who went abroad few days ago is expected back in the country anytime from now.
The All Progressives Con­gress (APC) has condoled with the family of Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha.
In a statement issued on Sunday, by the National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also condoled with the Bay­elsa State Government on the death of the former governor. According to the statement, the party received the news of Alamieyeseigha’s demise with great shock, consider­ing that he was not publicly reported to have been gravely ill.
Similarly, Acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, has sent a message of condo­lence to party faithful and the people of Bayelsa State over Alamieyeseigha’s death.
The party, in a statement signed by its National Pub­licity Secretary, Olisa Metuh described Alamieyeseigha as “a patriot and a great Ni­gerian, who made immense contributions and sacrifices towards the unity, stability and development of his state and our dear nation both as a military officer and a politi­cian.”
Secondus said the main opposition party was still in shock and described his death as “deeply saddening.”
…He protected his people -Atiku, Sylva
FORMER Vice President and chieftain of All Progres­sives Congress (APC), Ati­ku Abubakar has described former governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieye­seigha as an astute politician who firmly protected the in­terest of the Ijaw people.
The former vice president, in a press statement released by his media office in Abuja said the announcement of the death of Alamieyeseigha came to him as a rude shock.
The Turaki Adamawa eu­logised the late Alamieye­seigha for being a worthy ambassador of the Ijaw na­tion.
“Alamieyeseigha died earning the respect and ad­miration of the people of Bayelsa State and, I dare say, the people of Ijaw land. He was a friend and a broth­er and just like the people of Bayelsa State, I will miss him, too,” Atiku said.
Also, former governor of Bayelsa State and gover­norship candidate of APC, Chief Timipre Sylva, has de­scribed the death of his pre­decesure Alamieyeseigha as a huge loss to the state.
Sylva said Alamieyesei­gha was a mature politician, a lover of his people and a reliable community leader, who made sacrifices for the Ijaw nation, the Niger Delta, and Nigeria, generally.
He has painfully died at a time when his hindsight and foresight were greatly need­ed in the march of progress in the politics of Bayelsa State and Nigeria.
“We mourn the passing of his wise counsel, sim­ple lifestyle and moderate views. We mourn for the loss of his experience and political sagacity.”
Source:TheSun