Crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly deepened on Tuesday, as lawmakers loyal to the governor, Siminalayi Fubara and those beholden to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, held separate sessions.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Crisis rocking the Rivers State House of Assembly deepened on Tuesday, as lawmakers loyal to the governor, Siminalayi Fubara and those beholden to his predecessor, Nyesom Wike, held separate sessions.
The new turn of events came up barely one month after Governor Fubara was threatened with an impeachment threat.
This time, armed police men again took over the complex as members loyal to both factions of Rt. Hon Edison Ehie and Rt. Hon Martin’s Amaewhule allegedly held separate sittings at different locations.
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No fewer than four police patrol vans were stationed at the entrance of the Assembly complex located along Moscow Road, even as human and vehicular movement along that Axis of the Assembly were restricted.
Vanguard quotes sources as disclosing that about 25 lawmakers led by Martins Amaewhule, sat early on Tuesday and reportedly deliberated on two items concerning the suspension of the strike by the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria, PSAN.
The lawmakers apparently loyal to the FCT minister, Nyesom Wike also called on the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, to investigate the explosion at the Assembly which razed the hallowed Chamber and destroyed several property.
On the other hand, lawmakers led by factional Speaker, Edison Ehie, passed a vote of confidence on Governor Siminalayi Fubara, declaring that they will swim or float with him.
Rising from a sitting on Tuesday from an unknown location, they commended the governor on his developmental strides and security initiatives to keep the state peaceful.
Ehie, in a statement signed by Legislative Aide, Ken Uchendu, said “it takes a man of vision to steer the ship of development for the benefit of the people of the State”.
They resolved to continuously give the governor the required support to accomplish his consolidation and continuity agenda to benefit the State.
The lawmakers also condemned the attack on Ehie’s residence on Sunday night as well as the burning of the House of Assembly and appealed to the governor to commence the rehabilitation works as soon as possible.
“Furthermore, the house impressed on the need for the Inspector General of police, and other related security apparatus of the state to investigate these attacks and bring the culprits to book,” they said.
Crisis had risen between Wike, Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister the godfather and Governor Fubara over the control of Rivers politics. Though both eventually met in Abuja and declared that they had ironed out their differences, not many took their declaration seriously.
