GROUP URGES BAYELSA GOV, TRADITIONAL INSTITUTIONS TO SANCTION AJ TURNER

...URGES NIGERIANS TO IGNORE HIS CALUMNIOUS CAMPAIGN AGAINST GOV DICKSON

By Tony Okechukwu

A prominent Socio Cultural Organisation in Bayelsa State, the Ogbia Renaissance, has called on the State Government and the traditional institution to sanction a Second Class Chief, AJ Turner, for partisanship.

 Chairman of the group, Mr Obhioru Mitanoni, said that Turner acted contrary to Section 6, Cap C4 òf the Bayelsa State Chieftaincy law when he accompanied a politician to pick a gubernatorial form at the national headquarters of the party in Abuja.

Mitanoni said that Turner’s recent activities were unbecoming of the expected conduct of a traditional ruler and should be sanctioned by the state government and the relevant traditional institutions with supervisory responsibilities over the conduct and operations of traditional rulers in the state.

The group expressed the alarm that Chief Turner a known ally of Governor Dickson who was made a Second Class tradition ruler by the governor had continued to sponsor sustained acts of subversion against the government and should be brought under immediate control.

Mitanoni said that as critical stakeholders who have followed the relationship between Turner and the Governor, the group is shocked by recent allegations being peddled by the traditional ruler that the governor was after his life.

According to him, it is a statement of fact beyond contradiction that Turner has been the biggest beneficiary of the Dickson Administration in terms of appointments, contract awards and special favours because of the relationship which was imperiled by Turner’s insatiable greed.

He stressed that it was rather shocking that Turner who singlehandedly made over 60 percent of the political appointees during the first term of the administration, could turn round to perpetrate subversive activities with brazen impunity against the same government.

Mitanoni said that Turner recommended the appointment of the former Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Allison Oguru, the Commissioner for Sports, Mitema Obodo, (member of the House òf Assembly), Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Duatei Iyabi, the former Accountant General, Joseph Aseimo, the Attorney General, the Late Barr. Sylvanus Egele SAN, and many others.

He said that the group was also aware of the fact that the Governor appointed the wife of Turner as a Permanent Secretary, his son as a Commissioner and his nephew as Chairman of Ogbia Local Government Area among others.

The group lamented that Turner was ‘crying wolf where there is none’ as it is public knowledge that violence and killings have no place in politics of Dickson.

The Group’s Chairman said that Turner himself would attest to the fact that Dickson is not in the category of diabolical men behind the mysterious death of Justice Igoniwari, former Commissioner for Information, Azibolanari Nelson, Ombu Alike, and the diabolical attack on Jonathan’s henchman, Chief Asara Asara, who escaped death by the whiskers.

Mitanoni stressed that the State Governor owes the state a responsibility to enforce the laws guiding the conduct and operations of traditional rulers in the state by applying the relevant laws of the land.

 He called on the members of the public to disregard the mischievous campaign of calumny being peddled against the governor by a man who has benefited the most from the government but whose insatiable greed for power and control have turned him against the government.

He stressed that the governor should not allow loyalty to friendship and sentiments to restrain himself from ensuring implementation of the relevant laws guiding the operations of the traditional institutions especially the traditional rulers in the state.

 Mitanoni challenged Turner to tell the Nigerian public how much he and the companies he has interest in, has received from 2012 to date since he is talking about about N1.8 billion which he claimed to be owed.

He urged Turner to search his conscience to at least appreciate how his relationship with Governor Dickson rescued him from the Ogbia people who did not want to have anything to do with him because of his perceived excesses.

He warned that Turner’s recent pastime of ingratitude to the efforts of the governor and unrestrained subversive acts could only expose him further to the political tigers who are known very well to him.