The floor manager and director of the Goodluck Jonathan meets Rotimi Amaechi play deserves props for successfully staging the drama across several locations. They include the Obio-Akpor council secretariat, the Rivers PDP local chapter, the national PDP, the Rivers police command, the Rivers house of assembly, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, in the media, and yes, in the law courts as well.

Yesterday the plot thickened as five lawmakers on the side of Nyesom Wike, the minister of state for education accused the governor and the speaker of the state assembly of withholding their monthly allowances and other entitlements saying that the 27 loyal to Amaechi have been paid.

Evans Bipi, leader of the group spoke in Port Harcourt yesterday, blaming the governor. “Our constituency projects have been halted. As I speak to you now, go and ask if our allowances have been paid. I hereby use this medium to tell Governor Rotimi Amaechi to release our allowances.

“The other 27 members have been paid. Why are they holding our own allowances?”

Otelemaba Dan-Amachree, Speaker of the House, denied the allegations. Speaking through Jim Opiki, his press secretary, “Nobody in the Assembly has been paid any allowance; everybody will be paid as soon as the House reconvenes.”

Meanwhile the 5 anti Amaechi lawmakers have derided the governor’s attempt to challenge his suspension from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in court.

Evans Bipi said, “The party has stated in its constitution that it can expel any member found wanting. So, why is Amaechi crying foul over his suspension? Did he give the Obio/Akpor chairman, the vice chairman and the 17 councillors a fair hearing before suspending them? This was how he suspended former Okrika Local Government Area chairman.”http:///UHstKpKyjy

Who is telling porkies? Mr speaker or pro-Wike lawmakers?

But Speaker Otelemaba Dan-Amachree, said the five pro-Wike lawmakers are crying wolf where none exists because no lawmaker has been paid since the crisis started.

The Speaker, who spoke through his Press Secretary, Jim Opiki, denied that the governor ordered the withholding of the lawmakers’ allowances and entitlements.

He said the Assembly has not been sitting due to the security challenges in the state and wondered how their allowances and entitlements will be paid when the Assembly is on recess.
“Nobody in the Assembly has been paid any allowance; everybody will be paid as soon as the House reconvenes.”

Source

This is how he suspended Okrika Local Government Area. We the five lawmakers will not relent in the fight for justice.” But in a swift reaction to the allegation, the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree, denied any such action against the five legislators, saying that no member of the Assembly had received any allowance since the crisis broke out.

Source

Amaechi is playing his last card in this game.

serious