At least four members of the Rivers State House of Assembly were Tuesday, injured in a fracas on the floor of the House.
At the end of the squabble, the group of five legislators opposed to the governor claimed to have removed Speaker Otelemaba Amachree. Their claim was, however, quickly repudiated by 23 members who flocked in support of the speaker.
Yesterday’s violent clash happened on the first day of sitting since the political upheaval in the state triggered by removal of the structures of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP from Governor Amaechi about three months ago.
Computers and several valuables in the main chamber of the legislative complex were smashed in the morning violence that was witnessed by security agents who had mounted an unprecedented cordon within and outside the chambers.
The members had been recalled from an indefinite break by Speaker Amachree following a request by Governor Amaechi for an amendment to the 2013 budget of the state.
At about 10.30 a.m. as members sauntered in and engaged themselves in banters awaiting procession of the speaker, the leader of the House, Hon Chidi Lloyd offered a hand to the member representing Ogu-Bolo constituency, Hon Evans Bipi, a newly married member and relation of First Lady, Dame Patience Jonathan, whose wedding drew the First Lady to Port-Harcourt last month.
Llyod’s gesture of a handshake was rewarded with a slap on the face by Bipi and immediately, the whole house was engulfed in bedlam. In the melee, one of the other four members in the anti-Amaechi camp dashed for the tripod of a television camera and swung it round, hitting at opponents.
He was followed by another lawmaker who went for the mace and smashed it on the head of two lawmakers. The violence continued for some time with security men watching until Governor Amaechi rushed to the scene with his own entourage of security men from Government House who attempted to stop the fracas.
The fracas was caught on video. Watch below
In a country where Lawmakers are dangerous hoodlums and errand boys, anything can happen.
This story is so biased, one sided and lacking in credibility. What about the picture of Hon Chidi Lloyd smashing the mace on the back of Hon. Bipi
very speechless.
Yes this happened after the former speaker otelemaba has been impeached successfully by Hon Evans Bipi now the new speaker.
Shame on this reporter
Why am I not surprised, ths issue is not weather the story is one sided, The issue is they made a mockery of the of the law making arm of the state by publicly behaving like hoodlums.
Why ar u pretending 2 say d story is one sided wen it saw shown @ d FEC meeting n dey were all shock n surprise.Shame on dem.dat shows many of deez PDP memba now nt b4 ar area boys.Hmmmm am speechless n is a shame 2 Mr Jonathan
,,,,Evil ve becloud these folks &ve reduced d sense of human in dem. Dont xpect any good come out of dis,either from ameachi or d so call bad luck in presidency pretending to b innocent of d happening.God is watching,i hope he ve not forgotten how abacha died?,,,