A contentious politician, lawmaker in the Rivers House of Assembly and cousin to the First Lady, Evans Bipi, has continued to parade himself as the rightful Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Bipi speaking to journalists on a live Radio program in Port Harcourt yesterday said the lawmakers loyal to Amaechi remain ‘suspended’.
He said, “As the Speaker of The Rivers House of Assembly,I have not reconvened the House as the Court Judgment has not been served to the Police and other security agencies. All the so-called Governor Amaechi lawmakers have all been suspended by me and by Peoples Democratic Party.They cannot function until I called them back.Amaechi must recognize me as the authentic Speaker.But we must stop him from using Rivers money to sponsor APC.”
Meanwhile after a judgment by the Federal High Court sittign in Abuja which declared the take over by the National Assembly of the Rivers State House of Assembly as unconstitutional, pro-Amaechi lawmakers numbering 25 attempted to sit for plenary yesterday but were disallowed by members of the Nigerian Police Force.
The lawmakers were prevented access into the House by strict looking policemen wearing riot gear. The police eventually fired live ammunition into the air and teargas in order to prevent the lawmakers from gaining access into the premises of the House.
Speaking on the incident, Chairman Rivers State, All Progressives Congress, APC, Dr. Davis Ikanya Ibiamu, said:
“You see how power is being used against the people. The majority of the lawmakers in the House of Assembly want to visit the commissioner of police, but the police have refused to allow them see the Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu.
“We suspect that the five opposition lawmakers are going to be sneaked into the House to conduct proceedings. The APC considers this development unnecessary and unacceptable. If the commissioner of police believes he is doing his professional duties, then, he should allow the public to see it as such”.
“We call on the National Assembly. We call on the past presidents of Nigeria. We call on Nigerians to condemn what is happening today. Rivers State is under siege. The action of the police in preventing the 25 lawmakers from entering the House of Assembly complex is provocative. We are waiting to see whether they will allow the other five lawmakers to enter the House, sit and attempt to impeach the governor.”