… l remain Speaker, Isenah Insists
By Amos Odeh
Monday Obolo Bubou, member Representing Southern Ijaw Constituency 11 has taken over as speaker of the Bayelsa State House of Assembly following impeachment of Rt Hon Tonye Emmanuel Isenah.
But Isenah who spoke via telephone chat, insists he remains the speaker and told Bayelsans to discountenance the purported impeachment.
He said: ‘Against the speculation, I entered the House, after election all Houses have gone on recess, the National Assembly has also gone on recess, we have not gone.
“So today’s plenary I presided over the recess, and thanked everybody, and I have adjourned the House sine die and we have gone on recess.
“If the House has adjourned sine die, nothing is to be done again. I presided as a Speaker of the House, and I have adjourned the House sine die. Anything that happens in the House without me reconvening the House is illegal.
“That is an institution, it’s a different arm of government, that House needs to be respected, the ideal separation of power has to be respected, that house has been adjourned, anything again is illegal, the escorted me out of the chamber, nobody can reconvene that House except me.
“If anybody sits to do anything it’s an illegality.
Speaking on the arrangement to resign after three months, as he earlier promised, Isenah said: “I never had any arrangement with anybody, at the appropriate time I will address Bayelsans and tell them what transpired. I never had an arrangement, that I’m going to resign after three months. Let them show me the document to that effect, if there were any agreement, let them show me the paper.”
“I want Bayelsans to note that Bayelsa State House of Assembly is an independent arm of government, and I was elected Speaker, I think if I have not done anything wrong , I don’t see any reason why I should be asked to resign.
“I’ve not resigned, I’m not resigning, I’ve adjourned the house sine die. Bayelsans should discountenance anything like that.
Recalled that Tonye Isenah had earlier agreed to resign on Monday during plenary, only to renege and forcefully escaped from the chamber with the mace, just after he left there sporadic shooting coupled with invasion of the premises with hoodlums, the situation led journalists to scamper for safety.
The impeached speaker, was elected in June making to be speaker with the shortest tenure in the annals of the Bayelsa state House of Assembly.
