By Samuel Oyadongha
Yenagoa—The Bayelsa State House of Assembly yesterday suspended two members for allegedly instituting legal action against it over the impeachment process against the state Deputy Governor, Mr. Peremobowei Ebebi.
Also, yesterday, counsel to the deputy governor refused to show up when the seven-man panel began sitting at the Creek Motel, Yenagoa.

The suspended lawmakers—Mr. Aaron Alokpa, representing Ekeremor Constituency I and Mr. Angos Dide of the Labour Party, representing Ekeremor II, said to be Ebebi’s loyalists were among the six lawmakers who refused to consent to the impeachment process against the deputy governor.

The lawmakers, who are from the same Ekeremor Local Government Area as the deputy governor, were suspended after a motion was moved by the member representing Nembe Constituency I, Mr. Jonathan Obuebite, over their alleged move to challenge the decision of the 18 members of the house to serve the deputy governor an impeachment notice.

The motion was seconded by Mr. Amalanyo Yousuo, representing Brass Constituency II.

The duo, it was learnt, had approached a Yenagoa High Court asking that the procedure adopted in the service of the notice of impeachment against the deputy governor was faulty as they were not served the notice as required by Section 188 of the 1999 Constitution.

The house members led by the Speaker, Mr. Werinipre Seibarugu, at the sitting which led to the suspension of Alokpa and Dide, declared that the court action instituted by the latter led to the violation of the Order 64 of the standing rule of the House and declared that they stand suspended.

House okays  commissioners

Meantime, the House, yesterday, screened the list of five commissioner-nominees submitted to the leadership of the House by Governor Timipre Sylva in a letter dated June 21, 2010.

Sylva, in the letter to the House, nominated the acting Information Commissioner, Mr. Nathan Egba; ex-Personal Assistant to Alamieyeseigha, Mr. Opukiri Ere; Mr. Michael Ogiase, Mr. ThankGod Oyinpreye Apere and Chief Gimbra Panowei for screening to fill the positions vacated by some members of the state executive council including the Information Commissioner, Chief Asara Asara and his Housing counterpart, Mr. Ayakeme Whisky.

Ebebi’s lawyers shun panel

In another development, the seven-man panel panel looking into the allegations of gross misconduct listed against Ebebi, yesterday continued its sitting even as his lawyers did not turn up.

The panel Chairman, Mr. Donald Denwigwe, SAN, said lawyers to the deputy governor chose not to appear before the panel because their application for an adjournment was turned down.

“An application was made for an adjournment by counsel to the deputy governor. The application was not granted. The counsel said the deputy would not participate in the proceedings,” he said.

Denwigwe, who spoke shortly after the last witness called by the Bayelsa State House of Assembly testified before the panel had asked, “Is there anybody from the deputy governor that wants to say anything to the contrary?” There was no response.

An accountant from the office of the state Accountant-General, Mr. Victor Koroye, had testified on oath before the panel that some time in February or March 2009, a payment of N16 million was made to the deputy governor for an overseas medical trip.

He said: “The payment was made through the personal physician of the deputy governor, Dr. Biowe Julius, on March 2, 2009. The amount was N16m, but we gave the cheque after deducting our COT. The net amount came to N15,952,000.