Politics
Rivers Youths Support Amaechi
Last week started on a sour note with the crisis that rocked the hallowed chambers of the State House of Assembly over failed attempt by five anti-Governor Amaechi Lawmakers to impeach the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree.
The desperate lawmakers after their failed bid on Tuesday, started a free-for-all fight. The governor came to the rescue when some legislators supporting him were beaten up during the rowdy session.
Leader of the House, Hon. Chidi Lloyd, who narrated his ordeal in a hospital bed recalled how he was hit several times with a camera tripod stand by.
Hon. Oke Chinda before he defended himself. Shortly after the crisis, the governor, represented by his deputy, Engr. Tele Ikuru, went to the House for the presentation of a bill to amend the 2013 Appropriation Bill to accommodate some sub-heads for capital expenditure.
Though the deputy governor was attacked by some hoodlums in the House of Assembly Complex, he got the approval of 23 lawmakers who reconvened for a full session of the House later.
On Wednesday, members of the Rivers State House of Assembly debunked claims of alleged impeachment of Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Amachree. Their statement was signed by 26 lawmakers loyal to Governor Amaechi.
On the same day, youths from across the 23 local government area of the state marched down to the House of Assembly Complex to pledge their support to the Speaker.
Police shot tear gas to disperse the youths, who later – converged at the Government House pledging their unalloyed support to Governor Amaechi.
Despite the tensed atmosphere on Wednesday, some members of the African Union Party Parliamentary Group of Nigeria, led by Meg Hillier paid a courtesy visit to Governor Amaechi.
Mr. Hillier praised the governor for the developmental strides saying, “We have seen the new model primary and secondary schools and we also visited some primary health centres built by the Rivers State government”.
Thursday last week, the Revenue Mobilization Fiscal commission visited Government House to intimate the governor of plans to commence a new revenue sharing formula.
Leader of the Revenue Mobilisation and Fiscal Commission team, Chief Nimi Dambo Kalabo, told Governor Amaechi who was represented by his deputy, Tele Ikuru, that the commission plans a stakeholders forum across the zone, in order to come up with an equitable revenue sharing formula.
Engr. Tele Ikuru, while praising the commission for the plans harped on the need for a just and equitable revenue sharing formula insisting that those who produce more should earn more.
Shortly after the visit of the revenue mobilization and Fiscal Commission on Thursday, the senate committee on states and local government administration mandated by the senate to investigate the crisis in Rivers State House of Assembly visited Amaechi.
Led by its Chairman, Senator Kabiri Gaya, the committee condemned in totality what happened on Tuesday at Rivers State House of Assembly RSHA.
While calling on all parties to sheath their swords Gaya said the body would meet with all parties before returning to Abuja with their report.
Governor Amaechi later told the visiting panel that the state has been under siege since after he won the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF), lamenting the use of federal might in the withdrawal of his security aids.
Amaechi later met with the executive of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Rivers State Chapter led its chairman, Chief Chris Oruge who expressed labour’s concern over political crisis in the state.
He added, “ Labour in the state in solidly behind you and we will continue to support because since this crisis began we have not heard anybody pinpointing that Amaechi has embezzled our money”.