‘Rivers Lawmakers Acted Constitutionally’

The interim Chairman
of All Progressives Congress (APC), in Rivers State, Chief Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, has condemned those claiming that it was unconstitutional for the Rivers State House of Assembly to sit outside the Assembly complex in the state.
Chief Ikanya in a chat with newsmen in Port Harcourt last Wednesday said, only those who were ignorant of the constitution and the assembly order would claim not to have known that lawmakers had the right to sit outside the Assembly complex, if the area was not conducive or was under-going renovation.
He said, the state House of Assembly did not err by passing the 2014 Appropriation Bill outside the Assembly complex.
According to him, police had earlier announced that, the Assembly Complex buildings was under clean-up, hence, the area was unsafe for the lawmakers to commence sitting in the building.
Chief Ikanya opined that, lawmakers had the right to decide where to use as temporary chamber, pending when the police would be through with the clean-up and other security activities in the Assembly Complex.
Also speaking, the Secretary of Save Rivers Movement, in Ahoada East Local Government Area, Chief Effort Aggrey, said those that condemned the passage of the 2014 Appropriation Bill outside the Assembly complex were out of tune with reality.
He said, PDP was only criticising the passage of the budget 2014 because the party was no longer relevant in the state.
According to him, the PDP’s plan to delay the state 2014 budget by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi to continue his developmental strides had failed.
In his speech, the President of Ijaw Justice Forum (IJF), Comrade Tom Douglas, expressed satisfaction with the Rivers lawmakers on the passage of 2014 budget.
He said that the lawmakers were in order and urged Rivers people to applaud them for their patriotism.
The forum president used the opportunity to call on the people of the state to close ranks and work for unity and progress of the state.

Enoch Epelle