Heineken Lokpobiri
Encyclopedia
Heineken Lokpobiri is a Nigeria
n politician who was elected in April 2007 on the People's Democratic Party
(PDP) platform in Bayelsa State
, for the Bayelsa West constituency.
He ran for reelection in April 2011, but after initially being declared winner the result was overturned and he was arrested.
House of Assembly from 1999–2003, and speaker of the house from June 1999-May 2001.
He was elected to the National Senate for the Bayelsa West constituency in 2007 and was appointed to committees on Sports, Public Accounts, Police Affairs, Niger Delta and Millennium Development Goals.
After Nigeria performed poorly at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana
, the Senate Sports Committee of which Lokpobiri was chairman issued a report which cast blame on maladministration and lack of cooperation from the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Dr. Amos Adamu
.
Lokpobiri was chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Transport. In June 2009, after further sabotage of oil facilities by militants in the Niger Delta, he praised the Federal Government's amnesty, saying "With the current amnesty deal, I believe that both parties will go home satisfactory and the contractors will henceforth work in more stable environment and that will accelerate the pace of road construction in the region."
In July 2009 the Senate passed the National Agency for Elderly Persons bill, sponsored by Heineken Lokpobiri, which will give legal support, welfare and recreational facilities to elderly people in the country.
In September 2009, the authorities of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) announced approval of new land charges in Abuja
, the Federal Capital Territory. Senator Lokpobiri initiated a stormy debate when he accused the authorities of acting illegally by failing to first secure the approval of the National Council of States.
Lokpobiri ran for reelection as Bayelsa West Senator in the April 2011 elections, on the PDP platform, and was initially declared the winner.
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission
then withdrew their decision, declaring that the election was fraught with “widespread irregularities”. A few minutes after the announcement, Lokpobiri was arrested by State Security Service operatives.
Lokpobiri challenged the INEC decision. The INEC had planned to rerun the election in Sagbama
and Ekeremor local governments on 28 April 2011, but a high court in Yenagoa
issued a order restraining the INEC from conducting the election until the challenge had been resolved.
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
n politician who was elected in April 2007 on the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP) platform in Bayelsa State
Bayelsa State
Bayelsa State is a state in southern Nigeria in the core Niger Delta region, between Delta State and Rivers State. Its capital is Yenagoa. The language spoken here is Ijaw language and dialects of the Ijaw language such as Nembe, Atissa, Akassa, Ogbia, etc. However, like the rest of Nigeria,...
, for the Bayelsa West constituency.
He ran for reelection in April 2011, but after initially being declared winner the result was overturned and he was arrested.
Background
Heineken Lokpobiri was born on March 3, 1967. He received an LL.B (Hons) in 1994 from Rivers State University of Science and Technology, Port Harcourt, BL February 1995.Political career
Heineken Lokpobiri was a member of the Bayelsa StateBayelsa State
Bayelsa State is a state in southern Nigeria in the core Niger Delta region, between Delta State and Rivers State. Its capital is Yenagoa. The language spoken here is Ijaw language and dialects of the Ijaw language such as Nembe, Atissa, Akassa, Ogbia, etc. However, like the rest of Nigeria,...
House of Assembly from 1999–2003, and speaker of the house from June 1999-May 2001.
He was elected to the National Senate for the Bayelsa West constituency in 2007 and was appointed to committees on Sports, Public Accounts, Police Affairs, Niger Delta and Millennium Development Goals.
After Nigeria performed poorly at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
, the Senate Sports Committee of which Lokpobiri was chairman issued a report which cast blame on maladministration and lack of cooperation from the Director General of the National Sports Commission, Dr. Amos Adamu
Amos Adamu
Dr. Amos Adamu was Director General of the Nigerian National Sports Commission for ten years before being redeployed in November 2008. Before his appointment as Director General, Adamu was the Director of Sports of the ministry for 10 years.-Career:...
.
Lokpobiri was chairman of the Senate Ad-hoc Committee on Transport. In June 2009, after further sabotage of oil facilities by militants in the Niger Delta, he praised the Federal Government's amnesty, saying "With the current amnesty deal, I believe that both parties will go home satisfactory and the contractors will henceforth work in more stable environment and that will accelerate the pace of road construction in the region."
In July 2009 the Senate passed the National Agency for Elderly Persons bill, sponsored by Heineken Lokpobiri, which will give legal support, welfare and recreational facilities to elderly people in the country.
In September 2009, the authorities of the Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) and the Federal Executive Council (FEC) announced approval of new land charges in Abuja
Abuja
Abuja is the capital city of Nigeria. It is located in the centre of Nigeria, within the Federal Capital Territory . Abuja is a planned city, and was built mainly in the 1980s. It officially became Nigeria's capital on 12 December 1991, replacing Lagos...
, the Federal Capital Territory. Senator Lokpobiri initiated a stormy debate when he accused the authorities of acting illegally by failing to first secure the approval of the National Council of States.
Lokpobiri ran for reelection as Bayelsa West Senator in the April 2011 elections, on the PDP platform, and was initially declared the winner.
However, the Independent National Electoral Commission
Independent National Electoral Commission
The Independent National Electoral Commission , set up in 1998, is the electoral body which was set up to oversee elections in Nigeria.The INEC has encountered several controversies in the run-up to the April 2007 general elections, including criticism about its preparedness from Sada Abubakar,...
then withdrew their decision, declaring that the election was fraught with “widespread irregularities”. A few minutes after the announcement, Lokpobiri was arrested by State Security Service operatives.
Lokpobiri challenged the INEC decision. The INEC had planned to rerun the election in Sagbama
Sagbama
Sagbama is a Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Sagbama. Part of the area of the LGA lies within the Bayelsa National Forest.It has an area of 945 km² and a population of 187,146 at the 2006 census....
and Ekeremor local governments on 28 April 2011, but a high court in Yenagoa
Yenagoa
Yenagoa is a Local Government Area in Bayelsa State, Nigeria. Its headquarters are in the town of Yenagoa in the south of the area at.The LGA has an area of 706 km² and a population of 353,344 at the 2006 census....
issued a order restraining the INEC from conducting the election until the challenge had been resolved.