Governor Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa State has announced the postponement of the official flag-off of his governorship campaign earlier scheduled for this Saturday in Yenagoa in honour of the first civilian governor of the state, Chief DSP Alamieyeseigha.

Alamieyeseigha died last Saturday at the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital in neighbouring Rivers State.

Governor Dickson condemned the controversies surrounding Alamieyeseigha’s death, calling on the Ijaws at home and abroad to maintain law and order.

Dickson, who made the announcement during a special media broadcast on Tuesday morning in Yenagoa, stressed that although the country and particularly the Ijaw nation have lost a foremost statesman and leader, the state government was determined to give Chief Alamieyeseigha a befitting state burial.

He said: “The State Government is determined to accord him a befitting state burial. In this regard, a high powered burial committee led by the Deputy Governor has been constituted. This committee will work out details of the programme with the family and other relevant stakeholders.

While eulogising the former civilian governor, Dickson said, Alamieyeseigha in his life time, apart from serving Nigeria as a military officer, also dedicated himself to the service of Bayelsa State and the entire Ijaw nation, both as governor and in other capacities.

“His selfless devotion and service to Bayelsa State and the entire Ijaw nation earned him the sobriquet, Governor-General of the ijaw nation in his lifetime,” Dickson said.

Apart from declaring a seven-day mourning period during which all flags in public buildings and places are to fly at half mast, the governor said condolence registers have been opened in Government House, the State Secretariat Complex, Ijaw House in Yenagoa and the state liaison offices in Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt in honour of the deceased.

Dickson condemned what he termed the propaganda and orchestrated harrassment that led to the untimely death of Alamieyeseigha. He called on the people of the state and Ijaw nation to maintain the peace, as they mourn the departed leader whom he described as a man of peace.

His words: “To us as a people at this trying time, this sad incident should serve to unite us and to rededicate ourselves to the ideals that he stood for. We acknowledge the anger, disappointment and the sense of outrage felt by our people at home and in the diaspora, well meaning Nigerians and others around the world for the way and manner he was harassed and forced to abandon his treatment abroad.

“However, this is not a time for recriminations and divisions but rather a time for sober reflections. I therefore call for all and sundry, particularly the youths to remain calm and maintain the peace as we mourn our departed leader.”

•Photo shows Governor Dickson.

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