A pressure group in Bayelsa State has dragged Douye Diri, a serving senator and governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the November governorship contest, to the Code of Conduct of Bureau (CCB) for non declaration of his assets from 2012 to 2013 when he was the Deputy Chief of Staff to the Bayelsa State governor, Seriaki Dickson.
In a petition to the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Bureau dated September 17, 2019 and signed by the executive director of the Bayelsa Coalition for Good Governance and Accountability, Joseph Ambakederimo, it is alleged that Sen. Douye Diri failed to declare his assets during and after his service as deputy Chief of Staff from 2012 to 2013 to Gov. Dickson contrary to extant laws.
According to the petitioners, Douye Diri did not declare his assets to CCB when he was appointed and after serving as deputy chief of staff. “During that period, he failed, refused or and neglected to comply with the law obliging him to declare his assets to the Code of Conduct Bureau as a public officer.”
The Bayelsa Coalition for Good Governance and Accountability is urging the CCB to “bring such reckless public officer to justice. The Bureau should without delay do the needful by arraigning the subject before the Code of Conduct Tribunal.”
Sources at the CCB informed Elendu Reports that attempts to serve Sen. Diri through his Governorship Campaign office in Bayelsa failed as the senator refused service and insisted that as a serving senator the proper procedure is for him to be served through the office of the Clerk of the National Assembly. The service was effected on Tuesday through the office of the Clerk of National Assembly.
A lawyer who spoke to Elendu Reports for this story said, “if and when Sen. Diri is taken to the CCT for trial and is convicted, he shall not be eligible to hold public office for ten years. The implication is that he will lose his senate seat and if he’s already serving as governor he must vacate the office.”
Elendu Reports could not reach Sen. Diri before going to press.
