In the face of the ongoing crisis in Rivers State, the 27 pro-Governor Rotimi Amaechi lawmakers out of 32 in the State House of Assembly have pledged their support to the governor.
The lawmakers pledged their support to Amaechi during a breakfast meeting with him in Government House, Port Harcourt, on Wednesday. Those who were absent from the tea party were Chidi Lloyd (House Leader) and Benibo Anabraba, both hospitalised for injuries sustained when the five anti-Amaechi lawmakers came with thugs and disrupted the Assembly’s sitting on Tuesday, while Golden Chioma was away on official assignment.
Speaker Otelemaba Dan Amachree, in his solidarity remarks, reaffirmed the loyalty and support to the Governor and said the House leadership was intact.
“I want to reaffirm our total loyalty to you your Excellency as a House”, he said: “We also want to let you know that there was no impeachment yesterday (Tuesday). I still remain the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly and the other principal officers are still there,” he added.
Also speaking, the Deputy Speaker and member representing Khana 2 Constituency, Kwanee Leyii, reassured that they would continue to back Amaechi, also noting that there was no change in the House leadership.
“The leadership of the current 7th Assembly is totally intact and there is no change. We came to further reassure you (Amaechi) that the 7th Assembly is solidly behind you and together we will push on ensuring that our people receive the best in terms of democratic dividends. We are very proud of you in the manner in which you have conducted yourself so far even in the face of all the provocation,” he added.
Former Speaker and member representing Degema constituency, Tonye Harry, in his remarks, restated that the Assembly would not desert Amaechi and disproved the impeachment claim by the dissident lawmakers.
“Rivers State House of Assembly is still one under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amaechree. I want to assure you (Amaechi) that all of us (27 pro-Amaechi lawmakers out of 32) will continue to support you till the end of your second tenure,” he said.
For the female member representing Port Harcourt constituency I, Victoria Nyeche, Amaechi had shown respect for rule of law and maturity in dealing with the crisis in the state.
“I want to join in my colleagues to commend His Excellency for his maturity and for specially showing that he has respect for the rule of law, that’s why he brought that small amendment to the House yesterday (Tuesday) for us to do the viament. As a House, we are together; we have just one Speaker and he is Rt. Hon. Otelema Dan Amachree. As the representative of Port Harcourt constituency I, we say that we are proud of the government of Rivers State led by His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. We will continue to support him in our prayers and in our actions. We will continue to work with him to give Rivers people the dividends of Democracy which they desire and deserve”.
Wanjoku Chikere Azubike of Ikwerre Constituency and his counterpart from Ahoada West, Hon. Chigbo Eligwe expressed the commitment of the Assembly to the Amaechi administration and described the impeachment claim as false.
“We stand solidly behind the Speaker, Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Otelema Dan Amachreee. We will stand behind the Amaechi government. We will represent the Rivers people. We will stand for democracy”.
“The leadership of the House is very intact, we are loyal to Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan Amachree, by extension we are completely loyal to His Excellency the Governor of Rivers State. I want to remind all of us that this is the first administration where you can see the presence of projects in almost all the nooks and cronies of the state”, Hon. Eligwe said.
In his remarks, Chief G. U. Ake commended Governor Amaechi for his distinct leadership style and unparalleled achievements and commended the legislators for faithfully supporting Governor Amaechi despite alleged plans by the opposition to buy over their loyalty for the governor.
Responding, Governor Amaechi stressed the need for good working relationship between the executive and the legislature. On the crisis rocking the state, he said there was no need for placing the state under the current siege.
“I thank you for joining me to have this breakfast. It is becoming slightly difficult for members to legislate for the state because of the fact that the police is not able to protect you and because of the fact that the police appears to be on one side and if I did not come with my security yesterday, only God knows what would have happened.
“But please it’s important that as a House and as a state that we work together and ensure that we don’t allow anybody distract us because at the end of the day the assessment will not be based on who fought us and what was the reason for fighting us, it’s what did we deliver to our people. I say to you that there’s the need for you to continue to remain together.
I’ve advised the commissioner for Health to ensure that all those who are hospitalized are taken care of even it there is a need to fly them out of the country we would fly them out of the country but we hope that the Federal Government would know that there is no need for the siege on the Rivers people because of political interest.
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