A Port
Harcourt, Rivers State lawyer, Uche Okwukwu, has advised the Presidency not to
shield the self-acclaimed “Speaker” of the Rivers House of Assembly, Evans
Bipi, and another lawmaker, Kelechi Godspower Nwogu from the police probe of
the Assembly fracas.
He
described as unfair, Rivers police’s declaration of only the Leader of the
House of Assembly, Chidi Lloyd, wanted for attempted murder, conspiracy,
wounding and wilful damage in the fracas of July 9.
Okwukwu,
said yesterday in Port Harcourt, the police must not take sides in the
deepening political crisis .
Lloyd,
a lawyer, who represents Emohua Constituency, during the exchange of blows in
the main chambers of the Assembly, used a fake mace procured for the attempted
impeachment of the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree, to hit the representative
of the Obio/Akpor II Constituency, Michael Okechukwu Chinda.
The
five anti-Amaechi lawmakers: Bipi, Nwogu, Chinda, Martins Amewhule (Obio/Akpor
I) and Victor Ihunwo (Port Harcourt III) are loyal to the Minister of State for
Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, who wants to be governor in 2015.
Wike,
penultimate weekend, supervised the transfer to London of the injured Chinda,
from a private hospital in Port Harcourt, where he was treated for three days,
to ensure better treatment.
Lloyd,
a loyalist of Amachree, stood firmly against his July 9 attempted impeachment
and prevented Bipi from being forced on the Assembly as the speaker.
The
Rivers Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Felix Obuah, a
Wike acolyte, however, described the police declaration of Lloyd wanted over
the attempted murder, as a welcome development.
Obuah
also urged the police to invite and investigate the Governor of Rivers state,
Rotimi Amaechi, who is also the Chairman of the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF),
for allegedly supervising the “show of shame” in the hallowed chambers of
Rivers Assembly on July 9.
The
Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar, also invited Lloyd; the
Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Amaechi, Debeware Semeikumo (ASP); and the Chief Security
Officer (CSO), Tony Iwelu; but it was not clear as at press time, if the
Assembly’s leader would honour the invitation.
Bipi
was later hosted by President Goodluck Jonathan at the State House, Abuja and
took time to interact with journalists, while insisting that he remained the
“speaker” of the Rivers House of Assembly.
Okwukwu
said: “I am surprised about the attitude of the police for declaring only Chidi
Lloyd wanted, when it is very clear that Bipi and Nwogu were also deeply
involved in the July 9 fracas on the floor of the Rivers House of Assembly.
“Bipi
was proudly saying: ‘I blow Chidi Lloyd, I beat am, I kick am, I punch am, I
box am very well,’ while Nwogu directed his security aides and thugs to shoot
at Governor Amaechi on the floor of the Rivers House of Assembly. These are
criminal offences.
“Bipi
also attempted to seize a rifle from a policeman and struggle ensured between
them in the House of Assembly. Police should also investigate it.”
The
lawyer said the police’s investigation must not be one-sided but holistic, in
order to get to the root of the matter, for peace to reign in Rivers state.
Okwukwu’s
position was corroborated by a member of the Rivers House of Assembly, Victor
Amadi, who represents Etche constituency 1 and the Rivers Commissioner for
Information and Communications, Ibim Semenitari, who stated that Nwogu ordered
that Amaechi be shot on floor of the Rivers Assembly.
Amadi
added that Bipi slapped the duly-elected speaker (Amachree), after punching
Lloyd.
The
representative of Andoni-Opobo/Nkoro constituency of Rivers State in the House
of Representatives, Dakuku Peterside, maintained that the ADC and the CSO to
Amaechi were duty bound to protect the governor, whose life was threatened in
Rivers Assembly.
Rivers
Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, said Lloyd was declared wanted after he
failed to respond to police invitation, which elapsed on July 16.
The nation
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