Militants demanded the release and pardoning of Alamieseigha – Jonathan

Former President Goodluck has disclosed in his new book that it was Niger Delta militants that demanded the release and pardoning of Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, a former governor of Bayelsa state in 2007 as a precondition for peace in the Niger Delta.

In his new book, currently being launched in Abuja, Jonathan disclosed that when he and late President Musa Yar Adua were sworn in on May 29, 2007, they were confronted with two main challenges. One was the rising activities of Boko Haram and the second was militancy in the Niger Delta, which was leading to a sharp fall in revenues to the federation account.

“The Federation distributable accrual was  dwindling  drastically when  we  took  over  due  to  the  crisis  in  the  region  and  President  Yar’Adua,  in seeking  urgent  solutions  to  increase  the  revenues  of   the  Federation,  offered amnesty  to  the  militants.”

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“ One  of  their  demands  was  that  Alamieseigha  be released  from  detention  and  pardoned  by  President  Yar’Adua.    He accepted their  terms  and  mandated  me  to  ensure  that  my  former  boss  accepted  a  plea bargain  and  call  the  militants  to  order.  President  Yar’Adua  promised  to  grant Alamieseigha  state  pardon  if   all  parties  were  brought  on  board  to  the negotiation  table  to  restore  peace  in  the  region”

“I  immediately  carried  out  his  instructions.  Unfortunately,  he  passed  on before  completely  fulfilling  his  promise.  When  I  became  President,  I  granted late  Alamieseigha  a  state  pardon,  in  fulfilment  of   late  President  Yar’Adua’s earlier  commitment.  Unfortunately  this  was  frowned  upon  by  some  of   my strongest  critics.”

Jonathan served as deputy governor to Alamieseigha. Jonathan became governor after Alamiseigha was impeached in December 2005 over allegations of corruption in 2005.   He had been arrested in UK in November of 2005 over money laundering charges but managed to jump bail and travel to Nigeria. In July 2007, after two years in detention, Alamieseigha pleaded guilty to charges of corruption and money laundering brought against him by the EFCC and sentenced to two years in prison. Alamieseigha died in October 2015 at the age of 62.