Lawmaker Claims To Be Speaker, No I Remain Speaker Says Amachree
There was pandemonium inside the main chamber of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the early hours of Tuesday as some of the 27 lawmakers loyal to the Governor of Rivers State, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi and the five lawmakers loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Barr. Nyesom Wike engaged in a free for all.
The fight, which was over the leadership of the House started when the five lawmakers supporting the Minister of State for Education declared they had impeached the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Otelemabama Amachree, to the surprise of the 27 lawmakers.
When the dust settled, three lawmakers were seriously injured and rushed to the hospital. The injured lawmakers are the leader of the House, Hon. Chidi Lloyd (pro Amaechi lawmaker), Hon. Martins Amaewhule and Hon. Michael Chinda (both pro Wike supporters).
The lawmakers had arrived the House to resume sitting after adjourning indefinitely since May 4 when the new leadership of the state People’s Democratic Party (PDP) executive led by Hon. Felix Obuah suspended the 27 lawmakers for suspending the chairman of Obio’Akpor council boss, Hon. Timothy Nsirim over alleged corrupt practices.
But shortly after taking their seats, the opposing lawmakers started taunting themselves, while awaiting the arrival of the speaker, who usually is the last to walk in with the Sergeant-At-Arms who bears the mace before the day’s proceedings begin.
About 20 pro Amaechi were present, while the five supporting Wike were fully present, including Hon.Victor Ihunwo, who passed a vote of no confidence on Dan-Amachree and his leadership, giving his move a seal of approval with a mace believed to have been smuggled into the House.
He also nominated Bipi as the new Speaker while Hon. Kelechi Nwogu, who is also anti-Amaechi announced that Dan-Amachree had been impeached, a move that was seconded by Martins Amaewhule.
But as Bipi was about to make his acceptance speech, the Leader of the House, Hon. Chidi Lloyd walked in with some security men and Governor Amaechi himself. That was the point the fight broke out as Bipi who was standing in front of Llyod confronted him,
It was at this point that, Hon. Azubuike Nwanjoku a pro Amaechi lawmaker walked up to Bipi attacked Bipi in retaliation, lifting and throwing him to the floor of the chamber.
In the free -for-all fight that ensued, the mace they brought was broken, and Amaewhule and Michael Chinda were seriously injured were later rushed to St Patrick’s Hospital, Ogbunabali, Port Harcourt for treatment, likewise Chidi Lloyd, who was taken to a different hospital.
But before Bipi, who had earlier claimed to be speaker could return from the hospital, the pro –Amaechi’s lawmakers had reconvened with the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Dan-Amachree presiding.
The lawmakers debated on a request sent in by Governor Amaechi for a minor amendment on the capital expenditure in the 2013 Appropriation law, which had been earlier presented to the House by the Deputy Governor of the state, Engr Tele Ikuru who sat in the hallowed chamber with the lawmakers throughout the sitting.
The Governor’s request was approved with a voice vote as well as 22 votes with none of the five anti-Amaechi’s lawmaker participating in the matter, which focuses on members approval to enable him empower youths from all the wards of the state every month to the tune of three hundred thousand naira per ward.
Once the governor’s request was approved, Hon. Robinson Nnam Ewor moved a motion for the house to adjourn sine die and he was supported by Hon. Irene Inimgba before the lawmakers rose.
But as the Speaker was about to enter his car, Bipi accosted him and the deputy governor, but the speaker who was surrounded by his security details did not respond. Again, another round of fighting ensued between Bipi and Hon. Augustine Ngo.
The speaker was whisked safely away in his car while Bipi stayed back at the assembly complex where he addressed the youths who came with him.
But the deputy governor and members of his entourage were also attacked by some thugs and had to escape by running out of the scene of the incident.
The thugs were chanting war songs in support of Bipi before they descended on the Deputy Governor on sighting him. His official car was damaged while other cars in his convoy were also damaged.
