There appears to be fresh crisis rocking the Bayelsa State House of Assembly (BYHA) with the emergence of two parallel leaderships, both within the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP).
The crisis in the state assembly made up of 24 members began when the incumbent speaker called the house to order about 10:00am, yesterday, and indefinitely adjourned proceedings before thugs suspected to be his supporters carted away the mace, a symbol of authority in the assembly.
It was learnt that over a week ago, Hon. Tonye Isenah had been under intense pressure to resign his position to give way for a new leadership or face impeachment.
The embattled Speaker, Hon. Tonye Isenah, had last Friday afternoon, hinted on his resignation, claiming it was due to pressure mounted on him by some People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leaders to quit his position ahead of the November 16 governorship election.
It was alleged that, some suspected supporters of Isenah stormed the assembly shortly after proceedings were adjourned, fired warning shots into the air, throwing the whole chamber into a state of confusion before fleeing the legislative chamber with the mace.
Shortly after security personnel deployed, to the assembly brought the situation under control, journalists were ordered out of the chamber, as the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Abraham Ingobere, took over proceedings in the absence of the speaker who left with some members of the House.
A motion of impeachment of the speaker was raised by the member representing Sagbama Constituency 2, Hon. Bernard Kenebai, under matter of urgent public importance and was seconded by Hon. Naomi Benjamin Ogoli, a member representing Ogbia Constituency 3.
The petitioner, Kenebai, alleged that the embattled speaker, Isenah, committed offences ranging from gross misconduct to derogation of duty, and should, therefore, be impeached in accordance to the rules of the house.
After hearing the motion of impeachment against the speaker, the House with the approval of the acting speaker, Ingobere, unanimously agreed and declared that Isenah is impeached and no longer the speaker of the state assembly.
Thereafter, a motion to nominate Hon. Monday Obolo to immediately take over from Isenah was also raised by Hon. Ofoji Ogboko representing Yenagoa Constituency 1, which was seconded by Hon. Naomi Benjamin Ogoli representing Ogbia Constituency 3.
In his acceptance speech, Obolo appreciated the members of the house for finding him worthy, assuring them that he will follow the guidelines of the house in order to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of the state.
He said, “I want to appreciate you from the bottom of my heart for this extraordinary favor to an ordinary citizen, for you to have found me worthy at this time of our democracy in the state assembly of Bayelsa.”
On his part, Rt. Hon. Tonye Isenah, while reacting to the development, told newsmen, that “I did not go to the House as an impeached Speaker or the one that resigned. I adjourned sine die. Anything done without my reconvening the House is illegal. The House is an institution and a different arm of government that should be respected.
“That House has been adjourned and any member who participated in that illegality called impeachment. Even the Sergeant-At-Arms escorted me out and no one can reconvene the house.”
Isenah dismissed the report of his impeachment, and insisted that he remained the speaker of the assembly.
The plenary, yesterday, witnessed gunshots at the Bayelsa House of Assembly by some youths that stormed the assembly complex in Yenagoa.
Isenah, however, adjourned the session indefinitely for the House to proceed on recesses.
The members who sat back reportedly resumed sitting and allegedly impeached the speaker in absentia and without the mace.
A lawmaker said that there was tension around the assembly complex in the build-up to the sitting where the speaker was expected to resign, yesterday.