Violence Rocks Rivers Assembly; Ikuru, Speaker, Others Attacked …Abe, Peterside Flay House’s Insecurity …Reps Order Speedy Intervention …Supplementary Appropriation Bill Passed

Violence erupted at the resumed sitting of the Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday when the five –member anti-Amaechi lawmakers made an attempt to remove the House leadership from office.

It was on a day that Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, represented by his Deputy, Engr Tele Ikuru was guest of the House to present an executive request for the amendment of the state 2013 Appropriation Act.

The state government said it required the amendment to enhance effective implementation of the capital needs of the budget and urged the House to approve same.

Trouble started when leader of the five opposition lawmakers, Hon Evans Bipi allegedly assaulted Leader of the House, Hon Chidi Lloyd resulting in a pandemonium with the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree, Hon Michael Okey Chinda and others ending up with injuries.

Our Assembly correspondent reports that Deputy Governor Ikuru narrowly escaped being hurt by thugs allegedly hired by the  opposition members, but was saved through the timely intervention of his security aides during the chaotic situation.

When tempers settled however, the House presided over by the Speaker, Rt Hon Dan Amachree considered the executive request, and through a voice vote passed it.

Curiously, our reporter said, shortly after the adjournment, the five-opposition lawmakers returned to the Assmbly chambers and  in what observers described as a mock session announced the suspension of 15 members of the House, removal of the Speaker and his replacement by leader of the five opposition-Assembly members, Hon Evans Bipi.

On getting wind of the session, the 23 members loyal to Speaker Dan Amachree returned to the chambers and concluded the day’s proceeding before adjourning sine die.

With the arrival of the majority in the House, accompanied by security operatives, Hon Bipi could not make an acceptance speech following the over-whelming presence of majority and stiff opposition to the mock impeachment.

Our Assembly correspondent reports, it was after the departure of members that what is being aired on national television was hurriedly recorded as acceptance speech by a new Speaker, Hon Bipi.

It would be recalled that the Assembly’s last meeting in June was disrupted by an irate mob allegedly engaged by the anti-Amaechi lawmakers, an action which has pitched the state police command against the Rivers State Government.

Reacting to yesterday’s violent session, the state police commissioner Mr Mbu Joseph Mbu denied allegations of partisanship saying the letter informing the police of the Assembly’s planned resumed sitting was authorised by the Clerk of the House and submitted by the House Leader, Hon Lloyd.

Meanwhile, the Senator representing Rivers South-East Senatorial District in the National Assembly, Senator Magnus Ngei Abe has described the attack on the Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Otelemaba Dan Amachree and Leader of the House, Hon Chidi Lloyd, under the watchful eyes of the police, as a shame and slap on democracy.

He has, therefore, charged lovers of democracy and Nigerians to not only condemn the dastardly and barbaric act but resist moves being orchestrated by those under democratic oath to make laws for good governance to make the state ungovernable.

Sen Abe was reacting to the incident in the state House of Assembly yesterday, where five members on a mission to impeach House officers resorted to physical attacks, injuring the Speaker, Leader and other members before the House could sit formally.

The chairman, Senate Committee on Petroleum (Downstream) wondered the kind of democracy Nigeria was practicing, if democratic institutions and those elected to make laws cannot be protected.

Sen Abe said that plans to throw the state into anarchy will not succeed, and urged well- meaning Rivers people to stand by Governor Amaechi, whom he said, was being persecuted for defending the state.

Also speaking, Chairman, House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) and member representing Andoni/Opobo-Nkoro Federal Constituency, Hon. Dakuku Peterside, condemned, in strong terms, the invasion of Rivers State House of Assembly by hoodlums yesterday morning.

He said, “I am horrified by the unfolding tragic drama in Rivers State, and I condemn in strict terms, the wanton destruction of property and attack on innocent people all in the name of politics in my state”.

He warned that Nigerians must stand and denounce this growing impunity in Rivers State.

According to Peterside, “this is a great test for the Nigerian nation, democracy and freedom, and men of goodwill must rise as a people in condemnation of these attacks without any justifiable reason, except if we are all ready to face the potential damage that may befall our democracy and our future”.

“Nigerians, therefore, must not watch helplessly as Rivers State slips into anarchy in a manner reminiscent of the events leading to the civil war that did not only claim millions of lives of our country men and women but also took Nigeria many years back. Anything that touches on the legislature, an arm of government which is symbol of democracy, has far reaching implication on freedom and the people,” he said.

Like most Nigerians, the lawmaker is however worried by the continuous use of the apparatus of the Nigerian state to coerce, harass and intimidate those who hold dissenting opinions and perceived enemies of Federal Government.

He emphasised that it was important not to send the wrong signal by any act capable of emboldening criminals.

“It is important to apprehend and unmask the perpetrators of these crimes and those who aid and abet them through financing and other forms of support as any attempt to look the other way will not do our nation any good. It is an act of courage to protect freedom and every onlooker must be reminded that great nations did not become great by wishful thinking, they acted. This is the time to act,” he added.

Other Rivers stakeholders, who spoke to The Tide, condemned the attack, and called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, to urgently redeploy the state Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, for his inability to ensure peace, law and order in the state.

Chief Chukwuemeka Eze said the five anti-Amaechi lawmakers were engaging in jungle politics, and warned that the State should not be subjected to this type of unwarranted attacks.

Emeka Reuben Okala said that the five anti-Amaechi lawmakers acted ultra vires, and obviously out of order, as he warned that “Rivers State belongs to all of us.”

In a related development,  the House of Representatives yesterday mandated its ad hoc committee investigating the crisis in Rivers State to accelerate action on the process and submit its report next week.

Giving the directives to Chief Whip, Ishaku Bawa, and Deputy Leader, Leo Ogor, Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha also warned the police and other politicians in the state on the need to give peace a chance and avoid creating clogs in the wheel of democracy.

This comes on the heels of a motion of urgent national importance sponsored by Hon Andrew Uchendu, which drew the attention of the House to the fracas that took place in the state’s House of Assembly yesterday morning.

Ihedioha regretted that most politicians have forgotten so soon how the present democracy was achieved.

His words: “It does appear some of us have forgotten how we got this democracy. I am going to direct the Chief Whip and House Leader to work with the ad hoc committee, which we inaugurated last week, to investigate this matter immediately and submit their report latest next Tuesday.

“Some of us were in the trenches fighting for this democracy, and cannot fold our hands and sit when the democracy is threatened,” he said.

Presenting the motion, Hon Uchendu had said he regrets to inform the House that some militants invaded the House of Assembly to prevent the House from sitting.

He gave an account of yesterday’s fracas in the House of Assembly: “This is prior to the information the House of Assembly gave to the Commissioner of Police that the House would sit today. In the ensuing fracas, there was a free-for-all-fight, and so many members were wounded.

“The House Leader, Hon Chidi Lloyd, who spoke to me on phone, said that so many members were wounded. The interesting thing is that the House still went ahead to sit with many members and their stained clothes,” he argued.

Uchendu alleged that democracy was being threatened in the state by the activities of the police, hoodlums and ex-militants.

Kevin Nengia, Ike Wigodo, Nneka Amaechi-Nnadi, Abuja

Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt Hon Otelemaba Dan Amachree, departing the Assembly chambers escorted by the authentic mace bearer after the day’s proceedings, yesterday.