Alamieyeseigha - Formal First Lady, Patience Never Supported Her Husband To Play Politics

The first civilian Governor of Bayelsa State, Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, has disclosed that the immediate past First Lady, Patience Jonathan, never wanted her husband, Goodluck Jonathan in politics.

He recalled Patience initially stood against the ex-president ambition as a deputy governorship candidate in 1998, ahead of the elections in 1999.

Alamieyeseigha at a banquet organised by the Bayelsa State Government, as part of programmes for a civic reception in honour of the former President at the Banquet Hall of Government House, Yenagoa, said Mrs Jonathan was satisfied with her husband’s progress at the defunct Oil Minerals Producing Areas Development Commission (OMPADEC), where he was an Assistant Director.

Jonathan was Alamieyeseigha’s deputy from 1999 to 2005, when he took over as governor after his boss was impeached over money laundering charges.

Alamieyeseigha told the audience that Mrs. Jonathan resisted the proposal which he and the current chairman, Governing Board of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), Gordon Bozimo, had taken to him at their home in Port Harcourt.

The former governor said Jonathan visited him in his Port Harcourt residence a few days later and announced his decision not to accept the offer.

“Patience was not happy that Jonathan was chosen to be my deputy governor. She said she would not like him to go into politics. She said they were comfortable the way they were,” Alamieyeseigha added.

He said Jonathan was a complex character who “does not talk. He can keep something in mind for 10 years and will not talk and he will be playing with you.”

Alamieyeseigha however stressed that the former President did well in good governance in Nigeria and that he achieved a lot in different sectors of the economy.

“He rendered momentous service to the nation. His exploits and achievements are good enough for the young people to learn.

“If he can rise to that peak (of being President of Nigeria), then there are many Jonathans in this hall. His humble background and dint of hard work had taken him there.”

Patience Jonathan was not seen at the banquet.

It was gathered that she failed to attend over the alleged political differences between her and Governor Seriake Dickson.