Jonathan, Amaechi loyalists clash in House of Representatives






The ongoing cold war between Governor Rotimi Amaechi of Rivers State and the Presidency resonated on the floor of the House of Representatives on Thursday as supporters of both camps tried to outdo one another with motions and counter motions.

At the end of the day, however, loyalists of Amaechi carried the day in the battle of wits.

The whole scenario began when Sokonte Davies, a member from Rivers State and a known loyalist of Amaechi, tabled a motion under Matter of Urgent National Importance.

He drew the attention of the House to the siege laid to the Rivers State House of Assembly as well as the Obio/Akpor Local Government Council Secretariat by men of the Nigeria Police following the suspension of elected officials of the local government.

The House of Assembly had on April 22, announced the suspension of the council chairman, his deputy and all the 17 councillors.

A caretaker committee was constituted the next day to take over the running of the council.

However, the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state responded by slamming suspension order on 27 members of the House of Assembly who are also members of the party.

The 27 lawmakers were perceived to be loyalists of Amaechi.

In his motion, Davies drew the attention of the House to the “illegality” in the deployment of police to the Rivers State House of Assembly complex and the council secretariat.

He told the House that the deployment was done without request from the state Governor as required by the Constitution.

According to him, Section 215 (4) of the Constitution states that the Governor only can ask for extra deployment of police in his state for maintenance of peace when need be, but that the Rivers State Governor in this case, did not make such request.

In his prayers he requested the House to mandate its House Committee on Police Affairs, Justice and Human Rights to conduct a thorough investigation into the siege laid on the government institutions as well as urge the Inspector-General of police to ask his men and officers to withdraw from the premises of the River State House of Assembly Complex and other places so occupied.

When the motion was put to general debate, Kingsley Chinda, an avowed loyalist of President Goodluck Jonathan was the only one who opposed the motion.

However, all his arguments that the motion be killed fell on deaf ears as members passed it as it was.

Immediately after the Speaker ruled on the motion, Chinda then raised a Point of Order and used it to introduce a motion Under Matter of Urgent National Importance just like Davies had done.

However, as he read out his motion, it was clearly a motion designed to get the House to rescind itself on the motion moved by Davies.

In his motion, he drew the attention of the House to the “undemocratic suspension” of the democratically elected officials of Obio/Akpor LGA which, he said, was masterminded by the state Governor, Amaechi.

He then urged the House to condemn the suspension.

He also urged the House to ask the IG to deploy security men to the area to forestall a breakdown of law and order.

Chinda also prayed the House to urge all State Houses of Assembly to re-visit all state laws that provide for appointment of an administrator or caretaker committee to replace democratically elected members of local councils.

However, he was almost shouted down, as members started shouting point of order to draw the attention of the Speaker.

Nnana Igbokwe (PDP Imo), told the House that Chinda’s motion is illegal, as it negates what the House had just approved.

He explained that the points raised by Chinda in his argument that House of Assembly lacks power to suspend local council executives was not right, as the Constitution puts the power of supervision and discipline of council administration in the hands of State Assemblies.

His position was reinforced by submissions of Ibrahim El-sudi and Femi Gbajabiamila who faulted Chinda’s argument, as both quoted conspicuously from the Constitution to back up their points.

But Chinda was not repentant, as he refused to step down or withdraw the motion. Speaker Aminu Tambuwal, however, seeing the readiness of members to kill Chinda’s motion if put to vote, used his power to step the motion down and asked the House Committee on Rules and Business as well as that of Justice to meet and advice the House properly on the desirability or not of the motion between now and Tuesday.

Meanwhile, apparently responding to Amaechi’s salvo on Tuesday, Minister of State for Education, Nyesom Wike, threatened on Thursday that if he (Amaechi) dares open up, he would react with equal measure.

When a delegation of Christian leaders in the state led by Archbishop of the Anglican Communion, Ignatius Kartey, paid him a courtesy visit in the Government House, Port Harcourt, Amaechi had said: “I will speak to the state not now. When I speak to the state, you will not respect any of these people because I am now determined to open up.”

Wike fired back on Thursday, saying; “They have been talking since. If they talk, we will also talk.”

He told a crowd of PDP supporters that the era of “use and dump” in the state politics was far gone, urging everybody to work for the progress of the party.




daily Independent