… No I am Still incharge ~ Otelemaba
… No Plan To Impeach Amaechi ~ Bipi
… As Hostility Resumes in Port Harcourt
Event at the first sitting of the third session of the 7th Assembly of the Rivers State House of Assembly has sent a wrong signal to the Rivers State government under the leadership of His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, that all is not well, following the removal of the former speaker, Rt. Hon. Dan Otelemaba Amachree by the Assembly.
He was replaced by the member representing Ogu/Bolo State Constituency in the Assembly Hon. Evans Bapakaye Bipi.
The sitting on Tuesday July 9th, 2013 was a fierce one that the citizenry who ordinarily may not have seen or known what transpires in the Assembly were made to understand the skirmishes going on in the hallowed chambers.
Indeed the hallowed chambers of the Rivers State Assembly was desecrated as blood littered the chambers.
Trouble in the chambers took several dimension as some members were rushed to some hospitals in the city.
The Newswriter gathered that, five members of the Assembly popularly regarded as anti-Amaechi made it early to the chambers following the resumption notice served on them, and later 20 others joined and having made the required number for the house business the stage was set to began.
Trouble started when in their usual way, they began throwing words at each other, an act that provoked some members even at the entrance of the symbol of authority, the mess, when the sudden fight broke out on the floor, 25 members were present at the sitting when the fracas started.
It was also gathered that 16 of the 25 present at the sitting voted in favour of the impeachment of the former speaker. And following the nomination of Hon. Evans Babakaye Bipi as the new speaker, the 16 lawmakers part of whom are pro-Amaechi voted overwhelmingly as he was ushered in to take his acceptance speech.
Midway on his acceptance speech as the new speaker, Rt. Hon. Evans Bapakaye Bipi was halted as the fracas and blood letting took place following entrance of the state governor Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi at the hallowed chambers with his security men and others to spur the war.
According to the new speaker, Gov. Amaechi ordered and supervised the brutal beating of his colleagues.
The new speaker has however announced the suspension of an undisclosed 15 lawmakers whose names will be made known later.
Meanwhile two members, Okechukwu Chinda representing Obio/Akpor constituency II and Kelechi Wogu of the Anti-Amaechi and Chidi Lloyd of Emohua constituency of the Pro-Amaechi are still lying down critically illed at various undisclosed hospitals in the state capital.
However, the embattled speaker Rt. Hon. Dan Otelemaba Amachree has said he is still incharge and there was no attempt to impeach him, arguing the possibility of 5 members of the 32 to legally impeached him.
But the new speaker, Rt. Hon. Evans Bapakaye Bipi has pledged his loyalty to Rivers people, saying that it is the era of a new dawn in Rivers State where all will be carried along.
He said his leadership is not to impeach the Governor, but if the need arises for it, he would have no choice to do as Rivers people may demand.
However, the situation in the state has pave the way for hoodlums return in the state capital as citizens on Wednesday, a day after the incident at Assembly were forced to walk on the road with hands raised up.
The ugly exercise continued for a while before the police intervene in the crisis to condone off the Moscow road and Assembly complex, to check any further breakdown of laws and order.
Citizens and fillers around, while lamenting the walking with hands raised up faulted the governor’s entering into the hallowed chambers, saying that the both parties were in the Assembly with thugs loyal to them.
Meanwhile, some citizens are congratulating the new speaker Rt. Hon. Evans Bapakaye Bipi and warns him against any act of rascality while others are calling on the former speaker to hold on to faith.
The Pro-Amaechi group later reconvened at the desecrated chambers at about 11:44-11:48, to hear and endorsed a supplementary budget for the governor, represented by his deputy, Engr. Tele Ikuru.
Citizens who faulted Gov. Amaechi emergency entrance to the desecrated chambers described the action as an act of unknown fear for his sack.
At the point of filling this report, the state capital was yet unsafe for citizens following renewed hostilities even at the government house premises where supporters and thugs loyal to both parties converge for further taste of power. ###
James Mgboineme
