A massive shake-up is imminent within the week in the Bayelsa House of Assembly. This is as a result of a proven case of 'Conspiracy, Misappropriation and Conversion of Public Funds' leveled against the Rt. Honourable Speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly, Hon Kombowei Benson and his Deputy, Hon. Victor Sam-Ateki and the Clerk, Mr. Aaron Timiye.
National Daily reliably gathered that on the 2nd of May 2012, the Speaker requested for the approval of a sum of N100million from His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Bayelsa State for sponsorship of a trip for the Honourable Speaker and 23 Honourable members of the State House of Assembly to attend the 43rd Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA) African Regional Conference in South Africa from 29th June to 7th July 2012.
The Governor, however, approved a sum of N78million on 20th June 2012 and the Speaker allegedly disbursed the funds to each of the 23 Honourable members of the House of Assembly and adjourned sitting of the House and the members proceeded on leave after the adjournment.
It was later discovered that the Honourable Speaker and the Honourable members of the State House never attended the conference but rather converted the money to their personal use and were playing around in Nigeria while the conference had already commenced on the 29th of June.
It was also gathered that the Honourable Speaker and his colleagues departed the country on the 6th of July and arrived South Africa in the morning of the day slated for the conference to end which was the 7th.
