Former Bayelsa State Governor, Alamieyeseigha Dies

Sadly former Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha passed on in the early hours of this morning.

It was reported that Chief Alamieyeseigha rdied of cardiac arrest at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital, after slipping into coma two days ago and was placed on life support.

The news of his death was confirmed by the Bayelsa State Commissioner for Information, Esueme Dan-Kikili, who added that his death is a great loss to the Ijaw ethnic group.

However, during the week, there were reports that the British Government were determined to the outstanding case of money laundering against the former governor and had requested his extradition back to the UK, years after the former Governor had jumped bail and eloped to Nigeria dressed like a woman to escape. 

He was convicted of corruption charges in Nigeria but was later granted state pardon by former president, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan, and thereby refused to answer summons for trial in the UK

Nevertheless, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was born on November 16, 1952 in Amassoma, Ogboin North Local Government Area, Bayelsa State and had his secondary school education at the Bishop Dimeari Grammar School, Yenagoa.

He joined the Nigerian Defence Academy as a Cadet Officer in 1974, and was enlisted in the Nigerian Air Force, where he served in the department of Logistics and Supply.

Before retiring from the Air Force in 1992 as a Squadron Leader, he had served in Enugu, Markurdi, Kaduna and Ikeja.

He became the Sole Administrator of Pabod Supplies Port Harcourt and later Head of Budget, Planning, Research and Development of the National Fertiliser Company (NAFCON).

Diepreye Alamieyeseigha was Governor of Bayelsa State in Nigeria from May 29, 1999 to December 9, 2005. He was  impeached on allegations of corruption.