After considering the recommendations of its committee that investigated the Rivers House of Assembly crisis and adopting all of them, the Senate has resolved to assume the responsibilities of the tempestuous state Assembly in accordance with Section 11 of the nation’s constitution.
The decision of the Senate complements that of the Federal House of Representatives, which reached its own decision to manage the state legislature earlier in the month, just days after the failed impeachment of Speaker Otelemaba Amachree.
The Senate also approved the recommendation for the redeployment of Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu while it urged its President, David Mark to intervene between the two dissenting factions in order to return peace to the state legislature, which Mark himself had earlier identified as the ultimate target.
“Our appeal is that unless there is peace in Rivers State, there would be no development,” he said. “We appeal that all those involved in the crisis should sheathe their swords and allow peace to reign.”
He pledged neutrality of the Senate in all its involvement in the crisis, saying the National Assembly would defend the constitution and battle any impunity from anyone. Mark added that the Senate would never stand afar and watch a minority population of lawmakers impeach Speaker of the Rivers Assembly.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian Bar Association also on Thursday implored President Goodluck Jonathan to directly intervene in the crisis, its president, Okey Wali (SAN) describing it as a threat to the country’s political.
The call was made almost as the Rivers State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) was making arguments for the investigation of Governor of the troubled state, Rotimi Amaechi for making uncomplimentary remarks about President Jonathan while granting an interview to the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) in London.
Jerry Needam, the special adviser on media to the State Chairman of PDP, Felix Obuah condemned the governor’s utterances, noting such were the manner of utterances that provoked the current crisis.
Reacting to the Senate’s decision of the Senate, Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Leyii Kwanee commended members of the upper legislative chamber for their “laudable and dispassionate decision” to concur with the Federal House of Representatives to take over the legislative functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly in the interim.
He also commended the Upper legislative House for recommending the immediate redeployment of Commissioner of Police, Rivers State Command, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu.
“These two resolutions remain the only non partisan decisions to ensure peace in Rivers State and diffuse the tension created by the crisis,” Kwabee wrote in a statement issued by his media assistant, Mr. David Amusa.
He commended the Senate for rising above partisanship in the interest of our nascent democracy to call a spade a spade, while pointing out that only these two decisions were the preliminaries needed to resolve the crisis.
The statement further urged the security agencies to “take a queue from the National Assembly and investigate the cause of the crisis thoroughly without fear or favour and in the interest of the nation,” pointing out that in so doing, the country’s democracy can be saved.
