Soldiers Take Over Rivers Assembly, as Crisis Escalates Detachment of soldiers has taken over the Rivers State House of Assembly complex in the aftermath of the fracas that erupted on the floor of the Assembly on Tuesday and which continued on Wednesday. The soldiers took over when two opposing youth groups numbering over 2,000 attempted to storm the Assembly on Wednesday morning. But even as soldiers have taken over the Assembly complex, those posted to the Government House were withdrawn on Wednesday, A securiry source who spoke to Daily Independent on Wednesday evening said, “It is true. Soldiers officially posted to protect Amaechi were withdrawn this evening. They are between 25 to 30. We don’t yet know who ordered their withdrawal but they simply left.” Hell was let loose in the hallowed chambers of the Assembly on Tuesday when five of the lawmakers loyal to Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, pounced on some pro-Governor Chibuike Amaechi lawmakers who had assembled to deliberate on a request for budget amendment from the Governor. The five pro-Wike lawmakers claimed they had impeached the Speaker, and went ahead to assault their pro-Amaechi colleagues, some of whom ended up in the hospital. There was a clash between the youths who invaded the Assembly on Wednesday and one was reportedly shot. But no one knows who actually fired the shot. The pro-Amaechi group among the youths, which is under the auspices of Ikwerre Youth Movement (IYM), was on Wednesday morning led by Tony Okocha, Chief of Staff to the Governor, while the other group under the aegis of Grassroots Democratic Initiative (GDI), is loyal to Wike. Tension enveloped Port Harcourt, the state capital. Earlier in the day, sounds of gunshots were heard in some parts, as one person was reported to have been badly wounded in the process. Both Azikiwe and Moscow roads were littered with pieces of broken bottles, stones and other dangerous items that the two groups used to pelt one another. Later in the afternoon, an air force helicopter was seen hovering round the Assembly Complex in what many believe was an air surveillance to repel the possibility of the protesters regrouping. The police had earlier cordoned off Moscow Road leading to the Assembly complex, Bank Road adjacent the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, Port Harcourt branch, and the state secretariat. Speaking on the crisis, state Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenetari, confirmed that there was mass protest in the morning, adding that “there is an attempt to cause mayhem in the state.” She also said the Governor has been having consultations with security agencies to ensure that there was no breakdown of law and order. An ethnic bent is now being read into the crisis, as councillors of Asari Toru Local Government area, constituency of the Speaker of the House of Assembly, Otelemaba Dan-Amachree, have vowed that they will resist any attempt by another ethnic group (referring to Evans Babakaya Bipialaka from Okrika) to usurp their slot (Kalabari). Bipialaka had told some journalists that after he was ‘elected Speaker’ on Tuesday he wanted to begin sitting on Wednesday but found that the Assembly complex had been cordoned off by security personnel. “We will come back tomorrow to commence sitting,” he had vowed. One of the five renegade lawmakers, Kelechi Worgu, representing Omuma State Constituency, vowed in a telephone chat with a local radio station in Port Harcourt in the morning that “the battle has just started. Any how, we must sit.” At the time of the report, the opposing youth groups were still milling around Government House gate, itching to enter despite the heavy presence of policemen. Some youths actually entered the Government House at exactly 11.50 a.m. and there was shooting of teargas canisters by policemen to disperse them. Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Wednesday adopted a prayer to take over the Rivers State House of Assembly and asked the Inspector General of Police to redeploy the state Commissioner of Police. Tension mounted in the House, as the lawmakers suspended their rules to debate a motion of Urgent National Importance raised by House Chairman for Rules and Business, Albert Sam-Sokwa, on the development in Rivers State. But as soon as the motion was moved, Kingsley Chinda raised a counter Point of Order which caused an uproar among members, majority of whom were in support of Sam-Sokwa’s motion. Chinda, however, insisted that his Point of Order based on Order 9 Rule 87 be sustained. But the Deputy Speaker of the House, Emeka Ihedioha, had already ruled to suspend the House Rule to hear the motion right away. He said the same issue came up before the House on Tuesday and twice last week and the House had already taken a decision on it. Regardless, Minority Leader, Femi Gbajabiamila, raised another Point of Order which stated that the one raised by Chinda was already “out of order” because the House had already suspended its rules to debate the motion. At the end of the day Ihedioha overruled Chinda’s Point of Order. In his motion entitled, ‘Threat to democracy and inability of the House of Assembly of Rivers State to sit and transact legislative business of the House’, Sam-Sokwa noted Tuesday’s mayhem. He also recalled that the House of Assembly of Rivers State had on previous occasions tried to hold its normal sittings and transact parliamentary business but was unable to do so because of the presence of hoodlums. He also noted the inability of the Nigerian Police to provide the legitimate authorities of the House with security. He said the National Assembly has a duty to invoke its authority under Section 11(4) of the Constitution. All other lawmakers spoke in favour of the motion except Chinda and Ken Chikere (both Rivers) who cautioned the House to investigate properly before taking any decision on the crisis. In the meantime, Inspector General (IG) of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, has denied knowledge of policemen having taken sides in Tuesday’s violence. But he has ordered immediate probe of the incident. His comments to newsmen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, soon after he met with Vice President Namadi Sambo on the issue of police reforms, came hours after Minister of Education, Nyesom Wike, also denied having a hand in the fracas. The police chief said: “I am not aware (of policemen taking sides). The police have a responsibility to protect the citizens of this country but remember, we saw the video clip, and you saw those who went to the Assembly. “I think you should be asking who were those who went to the Assembly and why they went to the Assembly? “We are investigating that matter and whoever is found wanting will be sanctioned. I am not in Port Harcourt but I am investigating. “I have sent a DIG in charge of Operations; he is in Port Harcourt and he will brief me on the happenings and the action taken by police in Rivers State and necessary action will be taken against anybody who has anything to defend.” He also denied reports that the Government House in Port Harcourt had been tear-gassed by the police, saying “that is not true, no reasonable Commissioner of Police will go and tear gas Government House, it is not true.” Minister of Police Affairs, Caleb Olubolade, who met with Sambo alongside Abubakar on the issue of police reforms, equally warned against jumping to conclusion because “the police is an institution, and have a duty to perform and will always play their role. If certain things happened, there must be a reason. “If somebody has erred in his duty, he will be held responsible. That I can assure you. We must be careful in jumping into conclusion. Let us see how it plays out,” Olubolade said. Earlier, Wike, who is seen as the rallying point for Amaechi’s opponents, and who also met separately with Sambo, was the centre of attraction, as cabinet members watched a video clip of the fracas and asked him what it was all about. Shortly before the Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting formally begin, the video recording of the fracas was played on the giant screen inside the Council Chambers and some ministers who were watching drew Wike’s attention to it. But Wike responded that it was all part of politics and that it was wrong to insinuate that he could be behind the indecorous attack. As soon as Chief of Staff to the President, Mike Oghiadomhe, entered the Chambers, Wike left the company of his colleagues and quickly went to continue the discussion with him before the Vice President arrived for the meeting. After the FEC meeting, Wike was approached by reporters, also seeking his comment on the development but he hurried on, saying, “Gentlemen, I will be with you, let me see the Vice President in his office, I don’t want to keep him waiting, I am coming back.”
Posted on: Thu, 11 Jul 2013 13:49:30 +0000
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