Mr. Peremobowei Ebebi
The tension was exacerbated by the resolve of the State government not to heed the judgment putting a political cloud on the direction of the affairs of government with two deputy governors in place.
Ebebi was impeached by the House of Assembly last June over allegations of impropriety levelled against him by the State House of Assembly.
He was replaced by the then Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Werinipre Seibarugu.
The impeachment was effected in the midst of sharp political disagreements between the State Governor, Chief Timipire Sylva and Ebebi over the PDP structure in the state.
Ebebi had through his counsel, Alex Iziyon, SAN, approached the appeal court to protest the manner of his impeachment citing irregularities after a High Court in the state had declined jurisdiction on the matter.
Shortly after court verdict filtered into town, security was beefed up around the entrance leading to the Bayelsa Government House as three police patrol vans and an armoured personnel carrier joined the more familiar JTF battle tank which was permanently deployed to Creek Haven gate in the aftermath of the infamous militant invasion of Yenagoa in April 2007.
Security beefed up
Though the reason for the security beef up could not be immediately ascertained a source told GidiGlobe that it might not be unconnected with the court verdict and fear of possible break down of law and order.
In its ruling, the Court of Appeal presided over by Justice Vantijo Mohammed, affirmed the setting aside of the appointment of the incumbent Deputy Governor, Werinipre Seibarugu, and the impeachment process that led to the ouster of Ebebi last June over alleged gross misconduct by the assembly.
It was gathered that the appeal court verdict was in three parts which bothered on the processes that led to the impeachment of Ebebi as Deputy Governor, the appointment of Werinipre Seibarugu as new Deputy Governor and the order empowering the State High Court to hear the suit filed before it by the embattled Deputy Governor, Peremobowei Ebebi.
Counsel to Ebebi, Mr. Wodu Kemesuode, when contacted on his mobile phone said the pronouncement by the Court of Appeal simply affirmed that the impeached deputy governor should be returned to office and the present one removed.
He said: “The Court of Appeal made pronouncement on three vital areas and declared that the process for the removal of Peremobowei Ebebi was illegal and the appointment of Werinipre Seibarugu illegal. It also asked us to go back to the High Court to be heard on our earlier suit asking that the process for his impeachment was wrong.”
Certified copies of judgment
But the Bayelsa State government through the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media, Mr. Preye Wariowe, said the government was waiting for the certified copies of the Court of Appeal judgment.
He, however, affirmed that the order by the court does not in any way imply the return of Peremobowei Ebebi as Deputy Governor of the state.
Also reacting to the ruling, the State Commissioner for Information, Orientation and Strategy, Hon. Nathan Egba, said the Court of Appeal judgment directed the parties to maintain status quo and for the lower court to hear Ebebi’s earlier suit.
Egba said: “The court quashed the impeachment but did not direct the re_instatement of the impeached deputy governor. Consequently, the scenario is not quite clear, a situation that can only be subject to further legal clarification. In the light of the above, Bayelsa State Government hereby calls on the people to remain calm and go about their usual activities as there is no cause for alarm whatsoever.
“Governor Timipre Sylva wishes to re_assure the people of the State that the situation is under control as the government is monitoring the legal process and taking appropriate steps. It is necessary to reiterate at that the central mission of the Chief Timipre Sylva administration is to develop the land and people of Bayelsa as well as work towards a united people so government is ready to take all willing parties on board in this great effort.”
Meanwhile, the court verdict elicited reactions from a cross section of the political class in the state with many political parties lauding the judiciary over what they described as the peoples verdict insisting that appeal had vindicated their position on the matter.
While the Labour Party through its chairman, Adou Bobo urged the state government to obey the court verdict the Action Congress of Nigeria, National Youth Leader, Ebikibina Miriki described the impeachment as arranged.
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