‘Why Ibani Returned As Rivers Assembly Speaker’

The lawmaker
representing Andoni State Constituency at the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi Ibani, has been re-elected speaker of the Assembly shortly after his swearing-in, along-side 11 other returning members.
Recall that some of them had their 2015 electoral victories voided by the Court of Appeal, but they were re-elected at the December 10, 2016, legislative re-run elections in Rivers State.
Probably foreseeing the nullification of his 2015 electoral victory, Ibani, who had emerged speaker of the Assembly, June, 2015, had publicly announced his resignation December, 2015, paving the way for the emergence of Rt. Hon. Dabo Adams, representing Okrika State Constituency.
Adams, who presided over the swearing-in of 12 returning and new lawmakers, six of who belong to the opposition All Progressives Congress, thereafter, announced his resignation from the office he had occupied since December, 2015, explaining that, it was in the interest of balance in the political leadership in the state, which was altered by the exigencies of the time.
His resignation paved way for Hon. Marshall Uwom from Abua/Odual constituency to step in, and the process for the election of a substantive speaker led to the nomination of Ikuinyi Ibani as the only candidate for the office.
Ibani was nominated by the immediate past speaker, Rt. Hon. Dabo Adams, and he was seconded by Hon. Victor Ihunwo, representing Port Harcourt Constituency 3.
In the absence of any other nomination, 23 lawmakers voted in his support, and Ibani was sworn in immediately as speaker.
Speaking earlier after he announced his resignation, Adams had thanked God for the opportunity to serve in that capacity, and also thanked his colleagues for their support, enabling the Assembly to achieve the feats that were recorded in the last one year.
In his re-election address, Rt. Hon. Ikuinyi Ibani, praised the immediate past speaker for demonstrating, “as a Rivers man, that he can be trusted”, lauding him for the smooth transition.
The new speaker also thanked his colleagues for their confidence and continuous support, promising to do what is right to all, at all times.
He called for the support of all members, irrespective of political affiliations in order to fulfill the legitimate expectations of Rivers people.
Reminding his colleagues that “You become defenseless when the corporate interest is threatened”, the speaker stressed the need for members to subordinate personal and party interests to the over-ridding interest of the state, and work for peace and progress of the state.
Among those sworn in was Hon. Victoria Nyeche of the All Progressive Congress, whose oath of allegiance as a member of the Assembly was delayed for about a year because of a legal challenge, after the Court of Appeal declared her as the rightful winner of the 2015 election in her constituency, and not Jones Ogbonda of the Peoples Democratic Party.