The House of Representatives has passed a resolution
asking the National Assembly to take over the functions
of the Rivers State House of Assembly because the
lawmakers can no longer function properly.
The resolution was passed after a passionate debate on
the disruption of the affairs of the state assembly.
The lawmakers also asked that Inspector General of
Police Mohammed Abubakar should immediately
redeploy River State Police Commissioner Mbu Joseph
Mbu for his alleged dereliction of duty and inability to
continue to provide unbiased security for democratic
structures in the state.
Relevant rules of the House were suspended to allow for
the adoption of the votes and proceedings for onwards
transmission of the resolutions to the Senate for
concurrence.
The senate concurrence is needed for the resolution to
be lawful.
The resolution of the House was sequel to the adoption
of the amended resolution of a motion brought by the
Chairman of House Committee on Rules and Business
Albert Sam- Tsokwa.
While arguing the motion titled: “ Threat to democracy
and inability of the Rivers State House to sit and transact
legislative business”, Tsokwa said:
“On July 9, 2013, it was widely reported that hoodlums
and thugs aided by five out of 32 Honourable members
of the House of Assembly of Rivers State invaded the
House of Assembly of Rivers State and beat up other
Honourable members of the House of Assembly of Rivers
State, with one of the five members of the House seizing
a gun from a policeman and threatening other members
of the House.
“The House of Assembly of Rivers State had on previous
occasions tried to hold its normal sittings and transact
parliamentary business but was unable to do so as a
result of the presence of hoodlums in the precincts of the
House and the inability of the Police to provide the
legitimate authorities of the House with Security.”
The lawmaker expressed worry that the Rivers State
Police Command which had pledged to provide security
for the sitting of the House “watched the violence
unleashed on members of the House of Assembly without
any form of intervention.”
According to Sam- Tsokwa, a situation where the
Commissioner of Police, Rivers State is alleged to have
taken sides, and five out of a thirty-two members
procured thugs and hoodlums to disrupt the sitting of the
House and prevented the House of Assembly from
performing its constitutional functions, is worrisome.
He expressed concern that five out of the thirty-two
members purportedly attempted unsuccessfully to
remove the Speaker and leadership of House of
Assembly adding that if the situation prevailing in the
Assembly of Rivers State is allowed to continue, “it will
lead to a serious threat to our democracy which
Nigerians fought hard to earn.”
Sam-Tsokwa urged said the National Assembly has a
duty to invoke its authority under Section 11(4) of the
Constitution adding that given the laid out scenario, the
House of Assembly of Rivers State may be unable to
perform its Constitutional functions.
His presentation elicited passionate debates from 18
members who spoke for and two who spoke against.
Bimbo Daramola (ACN Ekiti) said “The commissioner of
Police in Rivers is fueling it. The Inspector- General of
Police should take the guy out of the place.”
Minority Leader Femi Gbajabiamila ( ACN Lagos) said the
five errant lawmakers in the Rivers State House of
Assembly should be charged with treason.
He said: “The country spoke with one voice a few days
ago against what happened in Egypt. Would the world
not now say, physician, heal thyself? Section 1
subsection 2 of the Constitution describes exactly what
has happened in Rivers. In that section lies the offence of
treason. If it walks like a duck and talks like a duck, it is
a duck. What happened in Rivers is a democratic coup
and we should treat it as such.”
He urged that Section 215 (4 ) of the Constitution be
amended to give the governor the power to exclusively
direct the Commissioner of Police in such circumstances.
Garba Datti, Deputy Minority Whip (CPC Kaduna), said
the crisis in the state is planned and that the Police
Commissioner “is working under instruction.” He added
that President Goodluck Jonathan “knows what is
happening in the state.”
Yakubu Dogara (PDP Bauchi) described the event in
Rivers State as a “grave situation,” adding that it is an
attempt at “brinksmanship.”
He added: “This is an attempt by the authority to make
Rivers State ungovernable in order to impose a state of
emergency. The House should stand against this new
threat to democracy. As members who subscribed to an
oath to defend the constitution we must take a stance on
it. We should invoke the constitutional mechanism in
Section 11 (4) to ensure that the they people of Rivers
are constitutionally protected.”
Others who supported the motion include Nmena Elendu-
Ukeje, Abike Dabiri- Erewa, Eziuche Ubani, Oluchi Ibeji,
Aminu Suleiman, Simon Erabo, Robinson Uwak, Ogbuefi
Ozomgachi, Ali Madaki, Ali Ahmed, Peter Edeh, and Idris
Legbo Kutigi.
However, Ken Chikere ( Rivers PDP) and Kingsley Chinda
(Rivers PDP) expressed contrary opinions saying it is
wrong to take over the Assembly.
Ken Chikere said: “What is happening in Rivers is
unfortunate. Even when you say an arm of government
has taken sides, we must look at it from a dispassionate
perspective.”
Two amendment by Emmanuel Jime ( PDP Benue) carried
the day. The resolutions were that the House should
resolve that the Inspector General of Police redeploy the
Rivers State Commissioner immediately for dereliction of
duty and that the National Assembly, pursuant to the
provisions of section 11(4) of the Constitution declare
that the Rivers Assembly is unable to perform its function
and the National Assembly takes over its function.
The resolution was overwhelmingly supported when the
Deputy Speaker, Emeka Ihedioha, who presided over
plenary asked for a voice vote.

Source: thenationonlineng.net/new/news/house-to-ig-remove-rivers-police-chief/

Whenever shame is dancing in the mud, oga will drag his big office into the pit.

Up Amaechi. All the best to the good people of Rivers State. God bless Nigeria!

Who will deploy the next?

The senate did same too
Yet it never had to get to this sorry pass
Amaechi had called for the removal of CP Mbu prior to this
Even Mbu was quoted as saying he didn't pay attention to the letter written for additional security cover due to a police station been around that place