It would be recalled that a Federal High Court,
Abuja, Wednesday, declared as illegal, the take-over of the legislative
functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly by the House of
Representatives.
Following the court ruling, the 22 pro-Governor
Amaechi’s lawmakers, therefore, gathered at the House of Assembly to resume
sitting. But as early as 8.30 a.m. Police patrol vehicles were used to block
the two ends of the road leading to the Assembly.
Staff of the NNPC and other establishments whose
offices were in the area were only allowed into their offices after their
identities were confirmed by fierced looking anti-riot Policemen.
Police Barricade Rivers House of Assembly
Entrance 11 Lawmakers and supporters running away from tear gas shot by the
Police yesterday to scare them away. Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke
An Armoured Personnel Career, APC, and two
Police patrol vehicles were also used to block the entry and exit gates of the
state House of Assembly complex. Nobody was allowed into the complex.
Journalists who were able to sneak through the gate of the Assembly complex
were ordered to go back.
At about 9.30 a.m, the Police suddenly stopped
even workers from entering the Moscow Road as some of the Policemen were seen
clutching their walk-talkie to their ears, apparently taking and dishing out
instructions.
At about 9.55 a.m, a Coaster bus conveying the
pro-Amaechi lawmakers were stopped by the Police at the Port Harcourt City
Council end of the road. The Chief of Staff, Government House, Port Harcourt,
Mr Tony Okocha and Commissioner for Works, Mr Victor Giadom were among those
stopped by the Police from proceeding beyond the Port HarcourtCity council end
of the road.
Pleas by the lawmakers to be allowed beyond this
point or to the state House of Assembly fell on deaf ears. The Policemen kept
saying they were acting on instructions not to allow anyone go beyond the point
or into the Assembly complex.
Mock sitting
When it became clear that the Police would not
allow them into the complex, the pro-Amaechi lawmakers, who were about 22,
suddenly commenced a mock sitting on the Moscow Road with the Deputy Speaker,
Leyii Kwanee presiding.
White plastic chairs were fetched for them from
the Port HarcourtCity council local government secretariat. They took turns to
denounce the action of the Police.
Teargas
Mid way into their deliberations, the Police
started firing teargas, a development that made the lawmakers and onlookers to
scamper for safety.
A Man Injured
while ruining from the scene of the crisis Photo: Nwankpa Chijioke
Police kept firing canisters of teargas to
ensure they did not regroup in the area. Some youths who had also turned up
early to witness the sitting of the Assembly started hurling stones from a
distance. It was not clear if their targets were the Policemen but their action
triggered the Police to fire more canisters of teargas.
Contacted, leader of the anti-Amaechi lawmakers,
Hon. Evans Bipi, said he was the Speaker of the House, adding that when he was
ready to reconvene the House he would let Rivers people know.
Be professional, Chief of Staff tellsPolice
Meanwhile, the Chief of Staff, Rivers State
Government House, Port Harcourt, Mr. Tony Okocha, has called on the Police in
the state to be professional while discharging their duties.
Condemning the refusal of the Police to allow
the pro-Amaechi lawmakers access to the state Assembly complex to resume
legislative functions, Okocha said it was sad that the security body resorted
to firing canisters of teargas at the lawmakers who were merely responding to a
court judgment which restored the functions of the Assembly to the state
lawmakers.
Obuah’s faction lauds Police
However, the Felix Obuah’s faction of the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state has lauded the Police for aborting
a sitting of the pro-Amaechi lawmakers.
Chairman of the party, Mr. Felix Obuah, who
spoke through his media aide, Mr. Jerry Needam, said the action of the Police,
yesterday, saved the state another round of chaos.
The statement which addressed Evans Bipi as
Speaker of the House urged the Police to continue to maintain peace in the
assembly complex.
APC vows to resist any unconstitutional action
On its part, the All Progressives Congress
(APC)warned against any reliance on Wednesday’s judgment of a Federal High
Court, to perpetrate mayhem or unconstitutional acts in RiversState.
In a statement in Osogbo, yesterday, by its
Interim National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party also
warned the police and other security agencies not to provide cover for
renegades to engage in any illegality, saying their role must be to ensure the
safety and security of all legislators if and when the House decides to sit.
It said there is no doubt that the six
legislators opposed to Gov. Amaechi will try to hide under the cover of the judgment
to convene the Assembly with the sole purpose of removing the Speaker as a
prelude to impeaching the state governor, but warned that any such act will
constitute an illegality and trigger a cataclysmic reaction, the end result of
which no one can predict.
APC said: “The six legislators opposed to Gov.
Amaechi do not and cannot form a quorum (nine members) that will even allow the
House to convene legally, not to talk of at least 20 members— representing two
third majority — that can constitutionally impeach the Speaker.
‘’We are, therefore, constrained to warn, in the
strongest possible terms, that we in the APC will take any impunity in Rivers
as an impunity to all, and will vehemently resist such with a spontaneous
explosion of people power not only in states under our control but across the
country.”
….Advises Jonathan
To President Goodluck Jonathan, APC said he must
not allow personal and partisan considerations to blot his responsibility as
the father of the nation and put in jeopardy his constitutional role of
ensuring the country’s unity.
It said: “We are aware of the letter to
President Jonathan by former President Olusegun Obasanjo virtually accusing the
President of destroying the same nation he was elected to preside over and
uplift. We hope he will not allow Obasanjo’s prognosis about him to come true
so soon by backing any move that can plunge Nigeria into chaos.
“This is because we in the APC have resolved
never to sit by and allow anyone, no matter how highly placed, to engage in
actions that will make our country a laughing stock and a pariah in the comity
of nations. Therefore, there will be no peace anywhere in the country if this
Federal Government supports the perpetration of impunity in Rivers. This is not
a threat, but the sure consequences of any act of impunity.”
Court ruling bizarre
Meanwhile, the party has described the court
ruling as bizarre and alarming, against the background of the massive mayhem
that was unleashed in the Rivers House of Assembly last July.
It wondered why the court will say there were no
facts that the House of Assembly could not carry out its functions, with the
Mace as well as several heads broken and the hallowed chambers desecrated by a
free-for-all that was watched all around the world.
“What else must occur before the stipulated
conditions can prevail for the National Assembly to take over the functions of
the Rivers House of Assembly? Is it when MPs are slaughtered like rams that
such a condition will be deemed to have prevailed?
‘’We are astonished and concerned by this court
ruling, especially coming shortly after we warned the judiciary not to allow
itself to be used by unscrupulous people to reverse the gains that have been
recorded under the present Chief Justice of Nigeria, who has embarked on
determined and sincere efforts to clean up the judiciary,’’ APC said.
Only God can restore peace unto that country
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