“But my happiness this morning is that the people of Rivers State, represented by all of you here, are with us. I can go home and sleep. Let me assure Rivers people that we will continue to defend them, protect them and ensure that they will enjoy the dividends of democracy.”
Bombing of Assembly unfortunate
Fubara, who had visited the complex, accompanied by Rivers youths, on Monday, described as unfortunate the attempt by some disgruntled persons to forcefully take over the assembly and condemned the burning of sections of the building.
“The truth is that, everybody who knows me knows that I am a peaceful person. I can never ever, even if I am aware that there is a plot to impeach me for whatever reason, be part of such destruction.
“I am worried that a facility like this that we used taxpayers’ money to build will be destroyed for selfish reasons just to please somebody. From what I have seen, even the security is compromised because they were shooting at me directly. The DC operations were shooting at me.”
Ehie becomes new Speaker, asks aggrieved colleagues to go to court
Following the attempt to impeach the Governor, a new leadership has emerged in the House. Currently the 32-member Assembly has 31 members following the death of a lawmaker recently.
Although 24 of them were said to have signed an impeachment notice against Fubara, 26 of them later suspended Speaker Martins Amaehwule and three others. They, thereafter elected and inaugurated the leader of the House, Hon. Edison Ehie, as their new speaker.
Addressing newsmen after a brief plenary of the house at a chamber within the Government House, Port Harcourt, Speaker Edison promised to ensure justice and fairness in the process of legislation.
He said: “The House just rose from plenary, and with all humility, I must thank my colleagues, 26 Assembly members, who have just elected me as the new Speaker of the 10th Rivers State House of Assembly.
“My commitment to Rivers people is that I will be just and fair to all and sundry. And I will ensure that the rule of law takes its course.
“I will not betray my colleagues and Rivers people and I will not betray my constituency. I will also ensure that the independence of the Rivers State House of Assembly is adhered to, with mutual respect to the judiciary and executive arms.
“Everything due my colleagues as honourable members constitutionally will be given to them. The honourable members that have been suspended will also be given fair hearing.
“The Committee on Information will publish the names of those suspended. The House has also urged the Committee on Petitions to give them fair hearing.
“The House has adjourned sine die because the Parliamentary Association of Nigeria has served us a notice of indefinite strike from Abuja. So, we cannot sit again. It means any sitting can’t hold water. The court is there, if you are aggrieved, approach the court.”
Police command launches investigation
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has launched a full-scale investigation into the fire that burnt down the House of Assembly.
Public Relations Officer of the Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, a Superintendent of Police, disclosed this in Port Harcourt, in a statement.
Iringe-Koko said police were on top of the situation in the state, adding that efforts have commenced to unravel those behind the act and bring them to book.
She said: “The Rivers State Police Command is on top of the security situation that occurred at the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex.
“Consequently, a full-scale investigation has been launched to unravel the circumstances surrounding the situations and take immediate policing actions against anyone found wanting.”
Former National Publicity Secretary of the defunct new People’s Democratic Party (nPDP) and a Chieftain of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Chief Eze Chukwuemeka Eze, condemned attempts to impeach Fubara.
Expressing disappointment over the development, Eze said the ongoing crisis confirms Wike as an “avaricious, characterless, unrefined and incorrigible political bigot whose existence threatens democracy and good governance and thus, does not deserve a place in the present day Nigeria political playground.”
Eze urged the people of Rivers State to rally around the Governor and save the state from the hands of “an emperor who thought that he had conquered Rivers State and her people.
PDP governors summon emergency meeting
Disturbed by the development, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP, Governors’ Forum, PDPGF, has summoned an emergency meeting scheduled to hold in Abuja, today.
It was gathered in Abuja, on Monday that the main item on the agenda is the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State .
The meeting is expected to take place at the Akwa Ibom State Governor’s Lodge, Asokoro, Abuja, by 3pm.
A member of the PDPGF, who pleaded anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the press, said, the emergency session “is not unconnected with the crisis playing out in Rivers State, in which the State Governor, Mr Siminalayi Fubara and his predecessor, Barrister Nyeson Wike are at loggerheads.”
