Six members of Chevron Nigeria Limited’s host communities in the Brass and Southern Ijaw Local Government Areas of Bayelsa State, under the auspices of KEFFES Rural Development Foundation (RDF), have been suspended for allegedly attempting to use wrong interpretation of the ruling of a state High Court to change the foundation’s leadership.
KEFFES is an acronym for eight oil-producing communities made up of Koluama 1 and 2, Ezetu 1 and 2, Foropa, Fish town, Ekeni and Sangana.
They host oil facilities operated by the Chevron Nigeria Limited.
Officials of KEFFES RDF, including the secretary and an ex-officio Ngozi Amakiri and Christopher Tudu respectively, said the decision was one of the outcomes of an emergency meeting of the body in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, on Saturday.
The court had ruled in a suit filed by Tibiebi Amadein that the foundation should conduct another election.
But a motion for stay of execution was filed before the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Tudu, who read the resolutions of the KEFFES RDF, said the meeting had 26 out of 32 members in attendance and was presided over by the incumbent chairman, Matthew Sele-epri.
He said the move by the suspended members to install Mr Amadein as the chairman of the foundation based on “a faulty interpretation of the court judgment” amounted to an act of gross misconduct.
Tudu said, “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 of the judgment of the lower court.
“The court at no time or place declared Tibiebi Amadein the eventual winner, as this was never part of the issues or prayers in the process filled by the claimant.
“Three members of KEFFES RDF (Zilpah Osaisai, Decca Perekunakuna and Ebi Williams), who openly apologised to the house and asked for forgiveness, are pardoned accordingly.
“The house, by way of a motion, after deliberating on the evil and unpatriotic actions of Messrs Tibiebi Amadein, Kofa Murphy Daniel, Noel Ikonikomo, Christopher Longlife, Amina James and Ebitare Joseph, resolved that given the impunity of their actions, which have caused serious disaffection and negative publicity for the body, be accordingly suspended from the membership of KEFFES Foundation without benefit indefinitely.”
