Free-for-all fight in Rivers Assemby

…Amaechi supervises reinstatement of  impeached Speaker,

...House adjourns indefinitely

There was free-for-all fight  on Tuesday at the Rivers State House of Assembly between pro and anti-Amaechi lawmakers.

The five lawmakers loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Chief Nyesom Wike, initially impeached the Speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree, with a new Speaker, Evans Bapakaye Bipi, who represents Ogu/Bolo constituency, elected to replace him.

As Bipi mounted the speaker’s seat to give his acceptance/maiden speech, the Rivers Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, stormed the main chambers of the Assembly, with Amachree, other loyal lawmakers and security men, leading to exchange of fisticuffs.

In the course of fighting with dangerous weapons, the Speaker and Leader of the House, Chidi Lloyd, a lawyer, who represents Emohua constituency and loyal to Amaechi were injured. Lloyd is still in the hospital.

Also seriously injured are  two anti-Amaechi lawmakers: Martins Amewhule and Michael Okechukwu Chinda who were  also hospitalised.

When the clash subsided, the House later sat amid tight security, with 23 pro-Amaechi lawmakers in attendance and presided over by Amachree. Amaechi left immediately.

Rivers Deputy Governor, Tele Ikuru,  was later ushered into the Assembly chambers and he presented minor adjustments to the 2013 budget, on behalf of Amaechi.

The Speaker said the amendment would not affect the earlier figure of N490 billion. Shortly after Ikuru left, the House was adjourned indefinitely, in view of the tension.