Diepreye Alamieyeseigha Is Dead

The First Executive Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Solomon Peter Alamieyeseigha is dead. He was 63 years old.

Alamieyeseigha popularly known as the ‘Governor- General of the Ijaw Nation’ reportedly developed com­plications from a kidney-re­lated aliment and was rushed from his hometown Amas­soma to Port Harcourt where he later died.

There are indications that Ala­mieyeseigha had gone for his usual medical trip to Dubai and was expected to rest before returning to Nigeria. However, he had to hurriedly leave Dubai after the United Kingdom wrote Nigeria re­questing for his extradition to UK to face money-launder­ing charges.

Back in Nigeria, he was said not to be his usual self until two days ago when he developed complications and had difficulty breath­ing. He was first rushed to Ebony Hospital, Port Har­court before being moved to University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital (UPTH) where he was placed on life support. Alamieyeseigha slipped into coma yesterday morning and some close family members were immediately contacted on the development. At 4.30 pm he was confirmed dead to family members.

His wife and some of his children were said to have been beside his hospital bed when he lost the battle for survival.

The late governor was born on November16, 1952 in Amassoma, Ogboin North Local Government Area of the state and attended the Bishop Dimeari Grammar School, Yenagoa.  He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy as a Cadet Officer in 1974; he enlisted into the Nigerian Air Force on graduation, where he served in the department of Logistics and Supply. He held various Air Force positions in Enugu, Makurdi, Kaduna and Ikeja. Alamieyeseigha retired from the Air Force in 1992, as a Squadron Leader

After leaving the air force he became the Sole Administrator of Pabod Supplies Port Harcourt. Later he became Head of Budget, Planning, Research and Development of the National Fertiliser Company (NAFCON).

At the inception of the present democratic dispensation in 1999, he became a founding member of the Peoples Demo­cratic Party and was elected as the first civilian governor of Bayelsa State. He got re-elect­ed in 2003 but was impeached on December 9, 2005, over al­legations of corrupt practices.

 

Alamieyeseigha was detained in London on charges of money laundering in September 2005. At the time of his arrest, Metropolitan police found about £1m in cash in his London home. Later they found a total of £1.8m ($3.2m) in cash and bank accounts. He has been found to own a real estate in London worth an alleged £10 million. ­He escaped from Britain, al­legedly disguised as a woman, though he denied this claim.

Late Chief Diepreye Solo­mon Peter Alamieyeseigha is survived by his wife, Marga­ret and two children, Victor Alamieyeseigha and Tombra Alamieyeseigha. Another son, Oyamuyefa Alamieyeseigha died in 2013. The United Kingdom is in the processing of seeking his extradition to face money laundering charges.