Osa Okhomina inYenagoa writes on the scramble for the soul of Sagbama and Ekeremor Local Government Areas of Bayelsa by desperate politicians to oil the re-election of Bayelsa State Governor, Timipre Sylva.
When the duo of the Sagbama and Ekeremor Local Government Chairmen in Bayelsa State, Preze Peretu and? Eddy Julius won their elections on the platform of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the March 2010, they were elated. Their supporters looked forward to a prosperous and peaceful political environment.
But events in recent times have left so much to be desired. So far, the council bosses seem to be in a motion without movement. And development is on a standstill. No thanks to power tussle among the political gladiators in the government of Governor Timipre Sylva. The rivalry has prompted the councillors to plot the impeachment of the chairmen. The chairmen have however vowed to remain focused and resist the impending impeachments.
The battle of wit in Sagbama is between Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Nestor Binabo and the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Chief Richard Kpodo. In Sagbama Local Council, Kpodo seems to have overshadowed the Speaker. He now claims to be the political leader of the area instead of Binabo who automatically assumes the leadership position the highest political office holder from the area. Many believe that Kpodo who was National Coordinator of the Pro-Sylva campaign group known as Concerned Bayelsans for Timipre Sylva has the governor’s support for his usurpation of the speaker’s power. The embattled Sagbama council boss made a subtle reference to Kpodo as he lamented, “since my emergence in the council, they have vowed to make me restless and unable to govern.”
LEADERSHIP gathered that Kpodo, who is known to have the dreaded state owned security outfit (Famou Tamgbe) at his disposal, have never hidden his disdain for Peretu.
The cause of the rift was not made official but there are reports in some quarters that kpodo wanted some political appointments conceded to? him but the demand was turned down by Peretu. Another point of conflict between the duo was the issue of who emerged as the leader of the legislative arm of council. Okpodo lost out.
The anger of Kpodo, according to Prominent indigenes of Sagbama that spoke with LEADERSHIP stem from the fact that he worked to deliver chairman in last year’s election and expected to control the council. As a result of his botched expectation, Kpodo? and his group accused Peretu of corruption and disrespect for the people.
But the action was quickly tackled with the political leaders in the council who are loyal to the Council chairman, meeting to review the rising controversy. They dismissed the allegation as “malicious and totally at variance with the infrastructural development in the council”.
According to the Sagbama leaders, though there were cases loans were obtained including the N45million for the payment of April salaries due to the shortfall in the allocation accrued to the council from federation account, the claim of fraud against the council chairman was a deliberate crusade by some politicians who want to destroy Peretu!
The political leaders commended the council chairman for engaging in the settlement of debts incurred by past administrations, the provision of internet facility and the launch of a functional website for the council, the overhauling of the electrical systems in Sagbama town, the purchase of five plots of land in Yenagoa to construct a befitting ultra modern liaison office complex with a view to generate revenue. They also hailed him for the on-going construction of a new office building.
In a statement issued on behalf of the political leaders and in reaction to the local tabloid Izon Link publication titled “But in Sagbama, a Pharaoh has come to rule”, the political secretary to the council, Comrade Mirin Johnson said the investigation conducted on the charges of fraud, high handedness and fanning ember of division among clans against the council chairman showed that? they were false and only exist in the imagination of opposition.
Johnson said detailed interaction within and outside the council area showed that the council chairman has not engaged in the promotion of clanish sentiments as claimed and has dispensed political patronage to all clans and constituencies in council: ”it shows that the chairman does not believe in Machiavellian principle but consults widely to uphold the rule of law.”
“On the procurement of N45million loan, it was discovered that the chairman consulted with staff and the supervising Ministry of Local Government before obtaining the loan.
And it was discovered that almost all the local government councils in the state approached the banks for the procurement of loans in April. There is no gain saying that the chairman of the council has been doing a marvellous job and needs the support of all well meaning citizens of the council.”
Unknown to the council chairman, he was sitting on a time bomb. In December last year, the Councillors under the alleged prompting of the Kpodo group were provoked by the refusal of the council boss to pay the N35million meant for their Christmas bonuses but paid the salary of the workers of the council. All attempts by Peretu to explain why he was unable to pay fell on deaf ears and the lawmakers kicked off his impeachment with the removal of the Leader of the council by ten councillors. The leader is seen as his man Friday! The councillors have also issued a notice for the removal of Peretu.
LEADERSHIP learnt that the attempts by the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly to intervene? with a view to stop the impeachment plot was rebuffed by the councillors and they failed to honour any peace meeting called by the speaker. This led to disquiet among supporters of the PDP in Sagbama Local Government Area. It has also provoked a security concern in the area.
The PDP supporters in the council consider the impeachment plot as unnecessary. They believe the plot has the hand of Jacob and the voice of Esau with Kpodo being fingered as the mastermind of Peretu’s removal.
Some of them who spoke with LEADERSHIP believe the councillors’ attempt was ill-conceived and warned that it would back-fire. They alleged that the Councillors in December, 2010 passed a resolution asking the council boss to secure a N35million loan to pay them the Christmas bonus but the bank turned down the request and wondered why Peretu should be harassed for that.
The pro- Perez Peretu group in Sagbama contend that the governor should prevail on his Special Adviser on Security to stop his antics which they claim can destabilize the council area. According to the group, the over one year of the present administration in the area has led to the building of viewing centres across communities in the council to provide meeting and recreational point to view local and international sporting events. They also name the near 80 per cent completion of a permanent office accommodation for the council as enviable achievement of Peretu.
Also noted as his achievement is the acquisition of a five plot of land for the building of liaison office at the cost of 18.5million, the equipping of the various office of the council secretariat with computers and other office gadgets, the repair of the two generating sets in the council area to provide uninterrupted power supply and the enrolment of 10 students of the council area at the Maritime Academy in Oron, Cross Rivers State.
When LEADERSHIP contacted the embattled Peretu, he confirmed the development but said such plot is still a mere rumour until he is served the impeachment notice insisting that due process must be followed insisting ‘‘I have committed no offence and I am unperturbed by the plot.” Peretu told LEADERSHIP that some politicians in Sagbama are responsible for the crisis. Since his assumption of office, ”these people have vowed to make the area ungovernable for my administration. They felt they contributed to my ascension to office and needed fat benefits but I have insisted that all appointments into the council must be on merit.”
On the campaign of calumny against the Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly by some politicians in the area, the Sagbama council boss denied any monthly financial gratification by his administration to the Speaker. ‘‘The Speaker is too honourable to demand for money from the council. They are only trying to drag the Speaker into the crisis at the council.” But Peretu is not resting on his oars as he has sought and got an? injunction from a High Court in the state restraining the members of the legislative assembly from the impeachment.
The High Court siting in the Sagbama division in an exparte motion filed in a suit? No. SHC/9/2011 ordered a stop to the impeachment processes and granted an order restraining the councillors from taking any further steps to remove Peretu. The order was pursuant to the application by counsel to the chairman, Barr. Johnbull Somina.
The Presiding judge, Justice.? E.T Ineife said, “after reading the affidavit? of the claimant, one Peres Peretu, male, Christian, legal practitioner and Executive Chairman of Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State in this registry on the 21st day of February, 2011”
Since the commencement of the crisis rocking the Sagbama Local Government council, the Chairman’s profile seems to have risen with solidarity visits from prominent indigenes including the State Chairmen of the Nigerian Union of Teachers and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Stanley Damabidei. He said the visit to the council’s secretariat in Sagbama would strengthen the bond between Peretu and the group as their share common ideas.
In another visit, the Committee of friends of Angalabiri community of the local government commended his effort at developing the area and said they were on the visit to identify with him. In what seemed like a retaliation to his detractors, the council chairman unveiled the report of the Finance and General Purpose Committee of the Sagbama Council. The report uncovered a N10million monthly wage scam in which over 29 dead indigenes and 77 ghost workers were under the employment of the council and were collecting salaries since 2003.
The report of the committee set up by Peretu was headed by Mr. Dibiya Ayakurai. The report has been forwarded to the office of the Deputy Governor, Wernipre Seibarogu and the Local Government Service Commission.
The report of the Committee showed that aside from the names of over 29 dead discovered to be collecting salaries since 2003,a total of 44 were discovered to have falsified their ages and on sick bed due to old age.
While some others include 14 persons discovered to be non-indigene of the council and are working in other local government council areas of the state. Many staff were alleged to have scanned appointment letters and collected salaries in the local council. Peretu, unveiled the report in company of some members of the legislative arm of the council led by the Deputy Leader, Toby Ibikedimie. The report was certified by the legislators and those involved according to Peretu would not be prosecuted but would be sacked. He advised them to accept the verdict of the committee.
He said in spite of the over-staffing noticed and the report on the audit of staff, the council, under his administration, was able to provide quality leadership and development projects to the people of the council area.
He noted that the council, like many others in the state, was faced with the challenge of funds and was able to overhaul the council electrical system, invest in the on-going chairman’s office building, build a concrete walkway at Okunbiri and Angalabiri and the building of two new offices at the council secretariat with equipment.
The sacked workers wrote a Save-Our-Soul letter to the governor and his deputy, Werinipre Seibarogu. It was signed by Ogodo Boloebi, Ekmegha Pinna, Ebikapadei Dibiya and Edoh Patrick Ekior. They argued that the action of the council chairman was illegal. “We have also served various chairmen of the council before the emergence of the council chairman. Moreso, some of the affected staff have been upgraded and converted by the Bayelsa State Local Government Service Commission to senior cadre, invariably, such upgrade and converted staff are no more council staffs but rather, of the state government. In line with this, the Sagbama council lacks prerogative power to dismiss such staff.”
The letter continues: “We plead that the Governor intervene in the Sagbama issue to save our marriages, children, education and health by instructing the council boss to pay our October 2010? to July 2011 salary and reinstate us to the service for us to provide for our families.”
In Ekeremor Local Government Area of the state, the ‘war’ between the? Commissioner for Youths and Employment Generation, Hon Bekis Etifa and the Council boss, Eddy Julius has led to the removal of the leader of the council, Oweifie Ayo Poweide. Only last week, the leader of the legislative arm of the local government council alleged through a statement that he was abducted by political thugs suspected to be on the pay roll of the serving commissioner in the state.?
He maintained that in spite of the intimidation from opposition forces against the present administration, he still remains the leader of the Ekeremor legislative assembly contrary to a published statement sponsored by some unknown persons in a paid advert on page 56 of The Punch Newspaper of Tuesday, February 22, 2011.??
He maintained that the said statement which was dated Friday February 17,? 2011 was forged as it was neither signed nor published by him.? And at no time did he remotely resign his position as the leader of the Ekeremor Legislative Arm; not even when he was abducted and cajoled to sign an already prepared resignation letter at the Kpansia premises of Mr Bekes Etifa, the Commissioner for Youths and Conflict Resolution.??
He therefore called on the people of Ekelga ward 1, his fellow honourable colleagues and PDP supporters in Ekeremor to disregard the said advert and work with the council chairman, and the state government in ensuring that Ekeremor people remain united and steadfast towards the re-election bid of the Sylva/Seibarugu ticket in the forthcoming April general elections.
In a statement issued at the weekend, Julius alerted the public about the nefarious activities of some self-seeking politicians from the area whom he claimed were bent on causing disaffection amongst members of the legislative arm with the intention of fermenting conflict so as to destabilize the progress of the present administration
LEADERSHIP gathered that the fight between the council boss and the serving commissioner may degenerate. While Sylva seems to have kept silent in the on-going scuffle between the council boss and the commissioner, the member representing Sagbama / Ekeremor Federal Constituency in the House of Representative, Hon Henry Dickson is disturbed by the ugly trend. He was holding meetings with prominent politicians from his area to stop the crisis which he believes was machinated by Sylva to keep his constituency in conflict before the 2012 governorship polls. LEADERSHIP learnt that Dickson is under pressure to throw his hat into the governorship ring.
The Timi Alaibe/Peremobowei Ebebi groups have shown readiness to capitalise on the PDP crisis to hijack the local government council and deliver it to the Labour Party (LP) in 2012. But with the likelihood of Dickson standing for the election on the platform of PDP if he eventually wins the primary, analysts believe LP may wait for another opportunity!?
Though the Council Chairmen from Sagbama and Ekeremor may continue to fight and ward off the plot of impeachment against them, the indigenes of the affected councils continue to hope the governor intervenes to make peace prevail!
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