Disgraced former governor of Bayelsa State, Chief Diepreye Alamieyeseigha, was in the helicopter that crashed late this afternoon in his home state, killing Governor Patrick Yakowa of Kaduna State and immediate past National Security Adviser (NSA), Gen. Andrew Owoye Azazi (retd.), News Express has been told.

“I understand that Alamieyeseigha was in the ill-fated flight,” a source who is also a prominent politician said.

Four days ago, President Goodluck Jonathan, who served as deputy governor to Alamieyeseigha, publicly acknowledged him as his political benefactor despite the latter’s removal from office and conviction for corruption.

Born in November 16, 1952 in Amassoma, Ogboin North Local Government Area, Bayelsa State, Alamieyeseigha was a Squadron Leader in the Nigerian Air Force and went into politics upon his retirement in 1992. He was elected Governor of Bayelsa State in May 1999 as a member of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and re-elected in 2003 but was impeached on allegations of corruption on December 9, 2005 – succeeded by Jonathan.

He had been detained in London on charges of money laundering in September 2005 but jumped bail in December 2005 from the United Kingdom by allegedly disguising himself as a woman.

On July 26, 2007, Alamieyeseigha pleaded guilty before a Nigerian court to six charges and was sentenced to two years in prison on each charge.

The military helicopter that crashed around 4:30 p.m. today in the Nembe area of Bayelsa,was conveying political heavyweights who attended the burial of Pa Douglas Obebara, the father of Oronto Douglas, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Research, Documentation and Strategy.

•Photo: Alamieyeseigha.