Soldiers have taken over the House of
Assembly in Nigeria's Rivers State
following the bloody fracas that
erupted there among law makers on
Tuesday and continued today. The
soldiers took over when two opposing
youth groups numbering over 2,000,
some pro-Governor Chibuike Amaechi,
some against, attempted to storm the
Assembly this morning.
They had disparate missions: to either
prevent the five renegade lawmakers
from sitting or to aid them.
There was a clash between the youths
and one was reportedly shot. No one
knows who actually fired the shot.
Assembly in Nigeria's Rivers State
following the bloody fracas that
erupted there among law makers on
Tuesday and continued today. The
soldiers took over when two opposing
youth groups numbering over 2,000,
some pro-Governor Chibuike Amaechi,
some against, attempted to storm the
Assembly this morning.
They had disparate missions: to either
prevent the five renegade lawmakers
from sitting or to aid them.
There was a clash between the youths
and one was reportedly shot. No one
knows who actually fired the shot.
The pro-Amaechi group, which is under
the auspices of Ikwerre Youth
Movement, IYM, was this morning led
by Tony Okocha, the Chief of Staff,
while the other group of youths under
the aegis of Grassroots Democratic
Initiative, GDI, is loyal to Nyesom Wike,
the Minister of State for Education.
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, Mrs Ibim
Semenetari, Commissioner for Information,
confirmed that there was mass protest this
morning, adding that there is an attempt to
cause mayhem in the state.
She also said that 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 the constituency of the
Speaker of the House, Otelemaba Dan-
Amachree, have vowed that they will resist
any attempt for another ethnic group,
(referring to Evans Babakaya Bipialaka from
Okrika) to usurp their slot (Kalabari).
Bipialaka told some journalists that after he
was ‘elected’ yesterday he wanted to
commence sitting today but found that the
Assembly complex had been cordoned off
by security personnel.
“We will come back tomorrow to commence
sitting,” he vowed.
One of the five lawmakers, Mr Kelechi
Worgu, representing Omuma Constituency,
vowed in a telephone chat with a local
radio station in Port Harcourt this morning
that “the battle has just started. Any how
we must sit.”
At the time of the report, the opposing
youth groups were milling around
government gate inching to enter despite
the heavy presence of the police.
Some youths actually entered the
Government House at exactly 11.50 a.m.
and there was shooting of tear gas
canisters by Government House policemen
to disperse them. There was confusion at
Government House at the time of this
report.
Meanwhile, prominent Nigerians this
morning condemned the fracas which
broke out on the floor of the Rivers State
House of Assembly, southsouth Nigeria,
Tuesday, with many of those who spoke
calling for very stiff sanctions against the
lawmakers who initiated the fracas.
While some of them accused President
Goodluck Jonathan of attempting to
truncate the country’s democracy, others
called for the removal of the Commissioner
of Police in Rivers State, Mr. Joseph Mbu,
since he has continually shown his
incompetence and partisanship.
Some even urged that the five minority
members of the House, who allegedly
enacted the show of shame, should be
made to undergo psychiatric tests. Former
Governor of Ekiti State and Action Congress
of Nigeria (ACN) topshot, Otunba Niyi
Adebayo, who spoke with P.M.NEWS this
morning, described the incident as
absolutely disgusting.
He said it was a shame that President
Jonathan supported illegality, reminding the
President that people lost their lives for the
democracy he is making attempts to
truncate.
“The President should wake up and do
something about this rubbish going on in
that state,” he said.
Former Governor of Old Kaduna State,
Alhaji Balarabe Musa, noted that the brawl
between the members was a direct result of
the Jonathan-Amaechi squabble.
According to him, the incident is a repeat of
what happened in Bayelsa when the
President was after former Governor
Timipre Sylva. “This is not good for
Nigeria’s politics and even President
Jonathan. The incident debases him as a
leader of a country and there is no way he
can win the other parts of Nigeria if he fails
to get the backing of his own area.
Sincerely, I don’t know what is wrong with
Nigerian politicians,” he lamented.
A federal lawmaker in the second republic,
Sidi Ali, described the situation as
disgusting, noting that Nigeria was yet to
recover from a similar incident that
happened in Plateau State during the
administration of ex-governor Joshua
Dariye.
The 75-year old member of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, and a staunch
supporter of President Jonathan attributed
the fight to those who want to please their
leaders in order to retain their offices at all
costs.
“If we allow this illegality to go on, then we
are going to crash.
“It is very unfortunate that the
Commissioner of Police in the state thinks
he can fight the governor. A commissioner
is not expected to talk the way he is doing.
“I know that five people cannot form a
quorum to do anything, but in this case,
they feel they have backing somewhere. I
am disappointed,” he said.
Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Bamidele
Aturu, said “it was a show of shame,
thoroughly disgusting that people turned
legislative work into banditary.
“We must now redefine the word:
‘hoodlum’. It was an elite hooliganism and
a very shameful display of lack of
responsibility.”
He noted that the lawmakers used cudgels
which could make them pass for
murderers. He also cautioned President
Jonathan, asking the presidency to distance
itself and ensure it punishes those who
caused the fracas.
“The way politicians are behaving now, they
would derail our democracy and if this
happens, they would be the first casualties.
I can assure them of that,” he said.
Another human rights lawyer, Festus
Keyamo, said it was the height of
lawlessness and illegality. He also asked
that the Commissioner of Police in the state
be removed immediately.
“The Rivers Commissioner of Police must
be removed because he is bringing
democracy down on all of us. What is
happening in Rivers is already affecting
democracy in the country,” Keyamo said.
The President of Voters Awareness
Initiative, Barrister Wale Oguntade, said it
was a big problem for democracy in the
country.
“I am using this opportunity to call on
Nigerians to demand for certificates of
psychiatric tests conducted on politicians in
future elections, because it is only insane
people who can conduct themselves the
way it happened at the Rivers Assembly.
“It is barbaric. Those lawmakers are
supposed to be kept in the zoo because
they are potential dangers to the society.
“If those considered potential danger to
the society now make law, then you can
imagine the kind of laws they would make,”
he lamented.
A member of the Lagos State House of
Assembly, Gbolahan Yishawu, said the
situation must be condemned by all
Nigerians, calling it a very barbaric act.
“We are supposed to be parliamentarians
and if you want to remove anybody, the
rules must be followed.
“It is unfortunate the President of the
country is attempting to polarise the state
and it is unfortunate that some lawmakers
are giving people the opportunity to use
them. It is very unfortunate,” the lawmaker
said.
the auspices of Ikwerre Youth
Movement, IYM, was this morning led
by Tony Okocha, the Chief of Staff,
while the other group of youths under
the aegis of Grassroots Democratic
Initiative, GDI, is loyal to Nyesom Wike,
the Minister of State for Education.
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, Mrs Ibim
Semenetari, Commissioner for Information,
confirmed that there was mass protest this
morning, adding that there is an attempt to
cause mayhem in the state.
She also said that 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 the constituency of the
Speaker of the House, Otelemaba Dan-
Amachree, have vowed that they will resist
any attempt for another ethnic group,
(referring to Evans Babakaya Bipialaka from
Okrika) to usurp their slot (Kalabari).
Bipialaka told some journalists that after he
was ‘elected’ yesterday he wanted to
commence sitting today but found that the
Assembly complex had been cordoned off
by security personnel.
“We will come back tomorrow to commence
sitting,” he vowed.
One of the five lawmakers, Mr Kelechi
Worgu, representing Omuma Constituency,
vowed in a telephone chat with a local
radio station in Port Harcourt this morning
that “the battle has just started. Any how
we must sit.”
At the time of the report, the opposing
youth groups were milling around
government gate inching to enter despite
the heavy presence of the police.
Some youths actually entered the
Government House at exactly 11.50 a.m.
and there was shooting of tear gas
canisters by Government House policemen
to disperse them. There was confusion at
Government House at the time of this
report.
Meanwhile, prominent Nigerians this
morning condemned the fracas which
broke out on the floor of the Rivers State
House of Assembly, southsouth Nigeria,
Tuesday, with many of those who spoke
calling for very stiff sanctions against the
lawmakers who initiated the fracas.
While some of them accused President
Goodluck Jonathan of attempting to
truncate the country’s democracy, others
called for the removal of the Commissioner
of Police in Rivers State, Mr. Joseph Mbu,
since he has continually shown his
incompetence and partisanship.
Some even urged that the five minority
members of the House, who allegedly
enacted the show of shame, should be
made to undergo psychiatric tests. Former
Governor of Ekiti State and Action Congress
of Nigeria (ACN) topshot, Otunba Niyi
Adebayo, who spoke with P.M.NEWS this
morning, described the incident as
absolutely disgusting.
He said it was a shame that President
Jonathan supported illegality, reminding the
President that people lost their lives for the
democracy he is making attempts to
truncate.
“The President should wake up and do
something about this rubbish going on in
that state,” he said.
Former Governor of Old Kaduna State,
Alhaji Balarabe Musa, noted that the brawl
between the members was a direct result of
the Jonathan-Amaechi squabble.
According to him, the incident is a repeat of
what happened in Bayelsa when the
President was after former Governor
Timipre Sylva. “This is not good for
Nigeria’s politics and even President
Jonathan. The incident debases him as a
leader of a country and there is no way he
can win the other parts of Nigeria if he fails
to get the backing of his own area.
Sincerely, I don’t know what is wrong with
Nigerian politicians,” he lamented.
A federal lawmaker in the second republic,
Sidi Ali, described the situation as
disgusting, noting that Nigeria was yet to
recover from a similar incident that
happened in Plateau State during the
administration of ex-governor Joshua
Dariye.
The 75-year old member of the Peoples
Democratic Party, PDP, and a staunch
supporter of President Jonathan attributed
the fight to those who want to please their
leaders in order to retain their offices at all
costs.
“If we allow this illegality to go on, then we
are going to crash.
“It is very unfortunate that the
Commissioner of Police in the state thinks
he can fight the governor. A commissioner
is not expected to talk the way he is doing.
“I know that five people cannot form a
quorum to do anything, but in this case,
they feel they have backing somewhere. I
am disappointed,” he said.
Lagos-based human rights lawyer, Bamidele
Aturu, said “it was a show of shame,
thoroughly disgusting that people turned
legislative work into banditary.
“We must now redefine the word:
‘hoodlum’. It was an elite hooliganism and
a very shameful display of lack of
responsibility.”
He noted that the lawmakers used cudgels
which could make them pass for
murderers. He also cautioned President
Jonathan, asking the presidency to distance
itself and ensure it punishes those who
caused the fracas.
“The way politicians are behaving now, they
would derail our democracy and if this
happens, they would be the first casualties.
I can assure them of that,” he said.
Another human rights lawyer, Festus
Keyamo, said it was the height of
lawlessness and illegality. He also asked
that the Commissioner of Police in the state
be removed immediately.
“The Rivers Commissioner of Police must
be removed because he is bringing
democracy down on all of us. What is
happening in Rivers is already affecting
democracy in the country,” Keyamo said.
The President of Voters Awareness
Initiative, Barrister Wale Oguntade, said it
was a big problem for democracy in the
country.
“I am using this opportunity to call on
Nigerians to demand for certificates of
psychiatric tests conducted on politicians in
future elections, because it is only insane
people who can conduct themselves the
way it happened at the Rivers Assembly.
“It is barbaric. Those lawmakers are
supposed to be kept in the zoo because
they are potential dangers to the society.
“If those considered potential danger to
the society now make law, then you can
imagine the kind of laws they would make,”
he lamented.
A member of the Lagos State House of
Assembly, Gbolahan Yishawu, said the
situation must be condemned by all
Nigerians, calling it a very barbaric act.
“We are supposed to be parliamentarians
and if you want to remove anybody, the
rules must be followed.
“It is unfortunate the President of the
country is attempting to polarise the state
and it is unfortunate that some lawmakers
are giving people the opportunity to use
them. It is very unfortunate,” the lawmaker
said.
(Source: PM NEWS)
No comments:
Post a Comment