Update on the Rivers State House of Assembly Mayhem

The chambers of the Rivers State House Of Assembly was yesterday turned into a battle ground as 5 anti Amaechi law makers engaged themselves and other members of the house in a free for all fight.

Various instruments including television camera stands were used by the lawmakers in the show of shame.

The 5 anti Amaechi lawmakers briefly met after the fracas to elect Mr Evans Bipi as Speaker.

However, 23 lawmakers of the house under the leadership of the Speaker, Mr Otelemaba Amachree, later met at the Assembly chambers to consider a request for amendment to the Rivers State Appropriation Law 2013.

The request which was sent in by the Governor, Chibuike Amaechi, was unanimously approved by the 23 Members present during the section.

The House later adjoined sitting indefinitely.

Meanwhile the Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Ibim Semenitari, who confirmed the presence of the Rivers Governor at the Rivers House of Assembly complex, said Governor Amaechi was there to restore peace following the phone call that there was no police protection for Members of the Assembly.

In a telephone interview, Mrs Semenitari explained that one of the 5 lawmakers disloyal to the leadership of the House, Mr Evans Bipi, attacked the Deputy Govenror, Tele Ikuru, who was at the Assembly complex to present a proposal.

“The deputy governor of Rivers state went to the assembly complex to present a proposal for the appropriation law, and Evans Bipi attacked his car, smashing it, the evidence is here, the pictures are here. He was also caught on camera doing that,” Semenitari said.

On the allegation that Governor Amaechi brought his security men to beat up the 5 lawmakers disloyal to the leadership of the House, she said it was Evans Bipi brought thugs to the Assembly complex.

“Evans Bipi cannot accuse Governor Amaechi of bringing in thugs because he is the one that brought in thugs. Governor Amaechi could not have taken anybody to beat up the members. Governor Amaechi has never been known in any of his political career to be involved with thuggery and he cannot begin now. He is one governor who is opposed to thuggery and cultism and that is why people like Evans Bipi may be uncomfortable with the governor because he doesn’t like thuggery and he doesn’t like cultism,” she cleared.

She also confirmed that the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly sent a letter to the state commissioner of Police requesting for security as they were about to sit.

Reacting to the allegation, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, debunked the allegations of any involvement in the crisis rocking the Rivers Assembly.

Speaking to newsmen in Port Harcourt yesterday, Mr Mbu said he received a letter from the House of Assemble requesting Police security for yesterday’s sitting which he provided after much thought.

“They are not children for me to bring a whip and say to the members; sit down well. It’s none of my business. I’m a Police Officer. It’s only when I’m invited that I go. And little did I know that they had motives, they had plan, because I was wondering why they wanted Police presence. They have been holding their sections without the Police,” Mbu said.

The Police Commissioner explained that the Police dispersed to the House yesterday morning were not allowed entrance into the premises so they could only play observatory role.

Mr Mbu further said the governor called to inform him that the House was without security which he explained to the governor he had sent enough security.

“I never knew there was anything behind their sitting, but because I saw the letter from the Brigade Commander, my friend and colleague, I now called for the commander of Mopol 19, that he should provide enough men for today’s assembly sitting which he did the deployment as early as 07:00 hours in the morning,” Mbu added.

Mr Mbu however, alleged that he discovered later that part of yesterday’s agenda by the House was to pass a resolution calling for his removal.