BAYELSA GOVERNMENT SETS UP 5-MAN FACT-FINDING COMMITTEE TO TACKLE POLAKU CHIEFTAINCY CRISIS

The Bayelsa State Government has set up a five-man committee to look into the protracted chieftaincy dispute in Polaku Community in the Yenagoa Local Government Area of the state.

The fact-finding Committee headed by Mr. Biriyai Dambo, SAN, the state’s Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice, is to among other things, verify if the Polaku Chieftaincy Stool has been gazetted by the state government as claimed by the sitting paramount ruler of the community.

Constituting the committee in Government House, Yenagoa, on Thursday, Senator Lawrence Ewhrudjakpo the Deputy Governor, emphasized the need for communities to respect and obey the state Chieftaincy Law as its provisions supersedes that of their constitutions.

Senator Ewhrudjakpo clarified that under the provisions of the Chieftaincy Law, only the Governor of the state has the prerogative to remove a duly elected traditional ruler for proven cases of gross misconduct after a thorough investigation.

He called on the feuding parties and the entire people of Polaku to maintain the peace and status-quo in the community, pending the outcome and report of the investigation by the 5-man committee.

While urging communities to respect duly constituted authority, he directed the Chief Tarila Club-faction to write an unreserved apology to Hon. Bulodisiye Ndiwari, the Chairman of Yenagoa Local Government Area, for walking out on him at a recent reconciliatory meeting and make a copy of the letter available to the Deputy Governor’s office.

In his remarks, Hon. Bulodisiye Ndiwari, the Mayor of Yenagoa City, expressed concern over the plethora chieftaincy-related crises in the area, particularly in Gbarain Kingdom and urged the people to resolve their differences in the interest of peace and progress.

Others who made presentations at the meeting were Chief Tarila Barnabas, the embattled Amananaowei of Polaku, Chief Tarila Club, a factional leader, and Mr. Inei Etuele, a community stakeholder,

Members of the committee, which has three weeks to submit its report, include Mr. Watson Belemote, the Commissioner for Community Development, Chief Thompson Amule, his Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs counterpart, Retired CP Akpoebi Agberebi, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, as well as Chief Perekeme Bertola, the Technical Adviser to the Governor on Chieftaincy Matters.