ODAHIEKWU OGUNDE, Yenagoa
Eight communities, under the auspices of KEFFES Rural Development Foundation, hosts of Chevron Nigeria Limited in Southern Ijaw and Brass local government areas of Bayelsa State, is enmeshed in a leadership crisis.
The lingering crisis, it was learnt, has eventually led to the suspension of six members of the foundation.
The suspended members were accused of wrongful interpretation of the order of Bayelsa State High Court sitting in Oporoma, headquarters of SILGA.
They were also accused of an alleged plot to change the foundation’s leadership through the back door.
KEFFES is an acronym for Koluama 1 & 2, Ezetu 1 & 2, Foropa, Fish Town, Ekeni and Sangana, all located along the Atlantic coastlines in the state.
Comrade Tibiebi Amadein had in a suit against the chairmanship of Mathew Sele-epri at the State High Court, Oporoma Division, prayed the court to order that the KEFFES Rural Development Foundation (KRDF) conduct another election.
He also sought a stay of execution on the motion filed before the Court of Appeal sitting in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
It was learnt that the High Court in its ruling did not declare the claimant, Amadein, as Chairman or executive of the KRDF, yet he allegedly formed a parallel executive council of the foundation.
It was further learnt that the claimant after allegedly defied the ruling of the court, had purportedly written a letter to Chevron, claiming victory and setting up a parallel exco of the body.
However, some bonafide members of the foundation, after an emergency meeting on Saturday in Yenagoa, the state capital, noted that the action of six members: Tibiebi Amadein, Kofa Daniel, Noel Ikonikomo, Christopher Longlife, Mrs Amina James and Ebitare Joseph, constituted a gross misconduct.
They claimed that the six members acted with impunity, alleging that their actions had caused a serious disaffection and negative publicity for the body.
They, therefore, suspended their membership indefinitely without benefits.
The emergency meeting, which had in attendance, 26 out of the 32 members of KRDF, presided over by the Chairman, Sele-epri Matthew, deliberated on the legal leadership of KEFFES, the implication of the court’s judgment and the actions of the Amadein-led group.
At the end of the meeting, members of the Foundation resolved unanimously that the court judgment on the suit filed by Amadein (claimant) was clear and specific to the office of the Chairman.
“The judgment is a decision of the first court of instance which is subject to an appeal and therefore cannot be enforced since the defendant has already filed an appeal and a stay of execution on the judgment of the lower court,” they said.
A statement issued by KEFFES Foundation by the Secretary, Ngozi Amakiri, and read by an ex-officio member, Chief Christopher Tudu, said: “The court did not at any time or place, declare Tibiebi Amadein as the eventual winner because that was never part of the issues or prayers in the process filed by the claimant.
“The leadership of KEFFES Foundation frowns at some members: Messr Zilpah Osaisai, Decca Perekunakuna and Ebi Williams, who ignorantly worked with the claimant and attempted an unlawful change of leadership.
“That the said three members of the foundation, who openly apologised to the house and asked for forgiveness be pardoned accordingly.
“That the house by way of a motion after deliberating on the evil and unpatriotic actions of Messrs Tibiebi Amadein, Kofa Daniel, Noel Ikonikomo, Christopher Longlife, Amina James and Ebitare Joseph has resolved that given the impunity of their actions which has caused serious disaffection and negative publicity on the body, be accordingly suspended from the membership of KEFFES Foundation without benefits indefinitely.
“That the house unanimously passed a ‘vote of confidence’ in the Sele-Epri-led administration and assured them of their absolute unflinching support.”