DEFIANCE AND LOYALTY, TWO FRUITES OF THE SAME TREE.

It is often said that all men are loyal, but the object of allegiance are best approximate.
This isn’t far from the case of Hon. Tonye isenah who was duly elected into the Bayelsa state house of assembly and also elected as speaker of the house on the 6th day of June 2019. He hails from kolokuma opokuma local government area, under the Bayelsa central senatorial district.
This detail would be incomplete without adding the fact that Hon. Isenah has enjoyed an enormous level of support from the executive governor of Bayelsa state in his political journey. Up to his emergence as speaker of the house. Which many believed was solely facilitated by Gov. Dickson. Although the benevolence of the governor to the lawmaker may not last so long as the perceived anointed Successor of Gov. Dickson, from the PDP in the person of Sen. Douye diri who hails from the same senatorial district as Hon. Isenah. Following the Federal character policy of the country which prohibits two major principal office holders from different arms of government to come from the same senatorial district. It is therefore assumed that the speaker already was aware of his impending political fate as speaker of the house which instructs him to resign his position as speaker on or before the swearing in of the governor elect, if the party clenches to victory in the forthcoming Guber elections. Trouble started when media publications pushed a story online indicating that the governor asked the speaker to resign on or before the 30th of October 2019. This publication was confirmed by the media aide of the speaker Mr. Didi Dickson opuene. The political atmosphere however heated up when the speaker via his personal handle made a post saying “don’t push a loyal person to the point where he will have no option. Loyalty is not cowardice”
This post from his personal Facebook handle of course prompted a series of questions, like why would the governor ask him to resign? There is no doubt that Hon. Tonye has canvassed a huge “fan base” over his years in politics. But it is widely understood in the political structure of Nigeria that nobody moves without the support from the “Oga” at the top.
A staff to the bayelsa state government who pleaded anonymity highlighted some facts which looked like a revelation and unveiled insights to the whole controversy. He stated a few facts,
One, that the embattled speaker pleaded with the governor just to let him become speaker no matter how the short the time would be.
Two, that in the line of successors of the speakership position, Hon. Tonye isenah was nowhere near consideration but only rode on the wings of the governor’s favor.
Three, the speaker actually agreed to resign on the beckon of the governor to do so in due time. Isenah’s shocker, however remains his ignorance to the governor’s definition of “due time”. The source however revealed that the original person endorsed for the job was Hon. Monday obolo from southern ijaw constituency two. The initial reason for this choice was in a bid to pacify the people from southern ijaw which has the second highest voting strength in Bayelsa state, The indication that this initial choice of the governor was an incentive to level up the party’s presence in the local government, not underestimating the fact that David Lyon, the flag bearer of the all progressive congress, a major opposition was from the same local government, what we would refer to as a political kikip !!!! Gbes!!!!!!!
A media aide to Hon. Isenah, Mr didi Dickson opuene hinted the general public in his emotional outcry on social media, that the speakers stroke from the governor was a reprisal attack after his refusal to honor the governors order for the impeachment of the current deputy governor rtd. rear admiral john. G. Jonah. However, the publication was aptly refuted by the The special adviser to the speaker on new media, stating clearly that no such order was given to him by the governor.
After much ado, the speaker called for a press briefing alongside all staff and workers in the state assembly complex. In his remark he thanked them for the opportunity to serve as speaker of the state house of assembly for the short while he did. He also apologized for his mistakes or unconscious wrong doing over the period.
What sounded like a goodbye and emotional speech carried lines like “I may not have the power to hold such a meeting with you again” and “after now, somebody else will take over and be in charge” sent a message to Bayelsans all over, that the speaker will bow to the governors order and relinquish his position as speaker, for the good general benefit of the party.
It wasn’t clear what the Honorable speaker had in mind at first, but a massive rally which followed the next day in kiama that had had thousands of kolgans come out to pledge their support and solidarity to him, with some carrying placards saying “leave our speaker alone” , “he will not resign” didn’t seem like a conclusive move. The whole state waited patiently for Monday the 30th of September as the purported day for the speaker to tender his resignation as a loyal party man.
All was set, and Monday came. The plenary session started on a normal tempo with the speaker asking about motions or issues to be deliberated on. And when none came up. After a short speech from the speaker and he finally placed the house on an indefinite adjournment. Pending when he will reconvene the house as speaker. This act of defiance from the speaker to his perceived political godfather didn’t look good in any light. Apparently this new move didn’t go down well with other honorable members of the house. It was reported shortly after the speakers exit from the complex with four other members of the house (APC). What was supposed to be peaced resignation turned into what looked like a staged attack on the house shortly after. With gunshots all over the complex by unknown gunmen and the alleged snatching of the mace. Which the symbol of authority in the house. In all this pandemonium, all other seventeen members of the house stayed put and remained calm.
Hon. Bernard kenbai a member representing sagbama constituency two. Moved a motion for the impeachment of the speaker, which was supported and voted for by all seventeen members of the house present. After which another member representing yenagoa constituency Hon. Ogboku oforji. Who moved for the electing of a new speaker of the house and nominated Hon. Monday obolo representing southern ijaw constituency two. As the new speaker of the house. This motion was supported and voted in and Hon. Obolo was elected as speaker by all seventeen members present. And was sworn in the same day.
However the embattled speaker, Hon Tonye isenah has stated clearly that he remains speaker of the house and that any other proceedings after his adjournment of the house is definitely an illegality. He emphasized that as speaker of the house he and him alone has the power to reconvene the house and the sine-die action on the house. He said he is the speaker of the Bayelsa state house of assembly and the speaker to any political group. And so he will not succumb to the pressure from any quarters to do their bidding at any time. In a response to the indication that the governor could be have influenced his sudden impeachment and forced resignation, he claims there was no point in time any agreement be it verbal or written that he will exit office and that he was definitely going to resign if the party’s flag bearer emerged as governor elect of the state. And that would have been on the ground if federal character and not because it was constitutional but because it was a normal party policy to spread the offices of power from all arms of government amongst all the senatorial district. He further stated that he doesn’t have to be used as a sacrificial lamb by the party all in a bid to win the elections.
But as provided by the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria , in section 92, subsection 2c which states that, the speaker of deputy speaker of the house shall vacate his office if he is removed from office by a resolution of the house by votes of not less than two third majority of the house.
By provision of this law, the speaker was impeached by seventeen members of the house. Which accounts of two third majority of the house. So therefore the impeachment stands by the confines of the law.
However standing on the grounds of prerequisites for impeachment of the speaker, certain factors have to be highly considered.
Quorum, two-third voting strength, and laws of conduct binding the state assembly.
From a professional legal source, this simply means that the validity of the speaker's impeachment rises and falls on the number of votes from members of the House. And in this case, with over seventeen Members in accordance to the motion, it is apparently a solid declaration that the honorable speaker Tonye isenah was impeached by the house with the right process and so therefore. His impeachment stands notwithstanding his adjournment, As it was also in line with house rules, that a speaker alone cannot put the assembly of recess single handedly without the vote of approval from at least two-third of the members of the house.
It is on this note that we conclude that by the direction of the Nigerian constitution 1999, the authenticity of the activities of the house rise and fall on one word, and that is QUORUM.