Former Governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha yesterday emerged as the leader of the team of elders constituted by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to reach out to aggrieved governorship aspirants in the state and loyalists of the embattled Governor, Chief Timipre Sylva with a view to reconciling them in the wake of the discordant tune that greeted the ward congresses and governorship primaries of the party.

The Alamieyeseigha led Elder Forum of the Party, which was inaugurated yesterday at the State Secretariat of the Party in Yenagoa, was also charged with the responsibility of creating an enabling environment for all members of the Party within the different divide and give them a sense of belonging.

They are also expected to operate beyond the campaign and election period with a supervisory and monitoring roles aimed at checking the excesses of the elected officials of the Party and the next administration after the 2012 polls.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Chairman of the Party, Chief James Durgo said though the last ward congresses and governorship primary of the party in the state threw up some controversies, ”the Elders Forum is to discuss these issues and reconcile different actors and make them united to work for the party in the state. I plead that they return and take their place within the party.”

Chief James Durgo, added that the era of disunity in the party was over with the inauguration of the reconciliation committee and the calibre of it’s members drawn from across the state.

In his acceptance speech, the Former Governor, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha said the idea of setting-up a reconciliation within the party was not new adding that it was provided for in the constitution of the party noting that no single individual cannot fight God and the government.

The Elders he said would be firm in the implementation of its role and ensure that the members of the party imbibe the tenets of the party and implement the manifestoes of the party.

His words “the Elders forum is expected to rise to monitor, advise and support a sitting government if they deviate. Before Dickson, the party has been existing. We have a manifesto to implement and the party elders will give support .Being a child of the Party, Elders like these are to serve as a booster between the Government and the People.I am seeing faces of aggrieved ones but because of the supremacy of the PDP and the emergence of a candidate for the party they are here.

“If the party supporters must know, we have Seriake Dickson and if he can not listen, we shall remind him of this day and tell him some bitter truth. There is no where the Elders don’t play a role. I have some clothes in my wardrobe that Seriake Dickson cannot wear. They are hidden treasure.”

On the insinuation making the rounds about the unseen hands of President Goodluck Jonathan and some elder statesmen in the event that led to the controversy trailing the primaries Chief Alamieyeseigha said though the President and some other elders in the state never showed signs of open support for any candidate,those accusing the President of supporting one candidate against another are “political fools” that should know that there can never be total neutrality in politics.

“I want to hold brief for the President and want to state clearly that the President and even myself, as elder statesmen, had no candidate before the governorship primary election of the party. But in politics, there is no neutrality. Even if it is not open, we had a certain thing we would want but we are not perfect. I was physically present as the primary. Once a candidate emerges, every interests collapse. Today, we have Seriake Dickson as candidate. I want people to realise that there are two entities that you cannot fight, God and the Government. It has happened to me. If you don’t know it, you are a fool.”

In a solidarity speech, the party flag bearer, Hon. Seriake Dickson, commended the effort of the elders of the state and the reception given him by some notable political big wigs in the state including a reception at the home of Timi Alaibe in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

“I have cued into the vision of the party and the elders and cannot thank you enough. I promise to be part of a process that will build a new PDP and a new Bayelsa without past crises. We will usher in a Bayelsa with development building, a restoration of lost values and a change for development. We are here to restore the state into a mature and developed state.”

“It is a prophesy that must come to pass. We intend to tackle the issue of difficult terrain. We will build on plans of other governors that served the state and accelerate it. We will get to the Atlantic Ocean and reached to Brass, Nembe and other areas,” he declared.

Political leaders present at the inauguration include former Minster of Science and Technology, Professor Turner Isoun, the Former Presidential Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs represented by a Team led by his Former campaign Director in the botched 2011 Governorship poll, Senator Inatimi Rufus-Spiff, the Chairman of the Party reconciliation Committee constituted by Governor Sylva, Senator John Brambaifagh, Six Former Commissioners under Governor Sylva, former deputy governor of Bayelsa State, Rt Hon Peremobowei Ebebi, pioneer PDP chairman in the state, Engr. Charles Dorgu among others.
http://www.vanguardngr.com/2011/12/you-cannot-fight-god-and-govt-alamieyeseigha/

Alamieyeseigha leader of elders?

Bayelsa no get people again ni?

The President, Mr Goodluck Jonathan, is a co-elder statesman with Mr Alamieyeseigha? I wish them well.

I am sooooooo happy for him.
Make efry part of Nigeria hold them own criminals.
Abi Bode George no get welcome party from jail?
Congrats to Alams jare.

When Ibori comes out. . .I hope he becomes an 'Elder' too!

A convicted criminal and international fugitive is an elder?

PDP no go kill me with laughter I swear.

Alamco Alamco Alams! You go fear colabo with presido.

where's beaf to come defend his PDP crooks? , Elder in thief?

What a joke - the bible says righteousness exalts a nation.

Ain't this the dude that escaped London on corruption charges dressed as a woman

Aaah. . . you got to marvel at the calibre of our looters, leaders.

Pukkah:

The President, Mr Goodluck Jonathan, is a co-elder statesman with Mr Alamieyeseigha? I wish them well.

When has GEJ ever had any reservation about rubbing shoulders with criminals and abetting criminality? Only his hypocritical supporters make sanctimonious noise when the reality on ground makes it crystal clear that the most upright folks in Nigeria shun and abhor GEJ (eg Achebe, Soyinka, Col. Umar et al) while criminals and looters "endorse" Mr. President fervently.

these are the leaders and role models of the thugs on nl. these convicted criminals are the method behind the madness of the likes of beaf, point b , were and co

nuff said

God, where are u? obasanjo slept with his daughter in-law and was promoted to pdp board of trustees chairman. chris uba destroyed anambra state's govt properties and pushed out an elected gov in the state and was rewarded with pdp state chairman of board of trustees. bode george was jailed over stealing and was made the pdp elder statesman in lagos. the list is endless yet we are expecting changes under this pdp lead govt.
well, the end of the road for these evil men will be the removal of fuel subsidy - God will help us in the war to come.

State has always been there to serve n protect the few wealthy corrupt individuals as against the majority. A classical move- hijack the state and give the masses religion. The spirits of karl marx, lenin, engels, leon trostsky, hitler and mao are long over due in this country!!! I wonder what our universities are doing? For young minds to graduate without knowing shit bout this great minds? And you expect any meaningful change? We all are not serious!

Stop derailing the topic; only fools throw away the soundness of speech to castigate the speaker.

True Alams, No one fights God and the Government especially, Ask Alams, Saddam, Gadhafi, and OGD

tell that to the arab spring, the french revolution , the maumau in kenya, nadeco, the americans in the 1700s

what nonsense