Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State House of Assembly was, yesterday, thrown into confusion as gunmen invaded the Assembly complex in a bid to force the Speaker, Tonye Emmanuel Isenah, to resign his position.
The gunmen who struck after Isenah had adjourned the House sine die for it to embark on recess were said to have spirited away the Mace.
Isenah, who had come under intense pressure from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) leadership to resign his position to pave way for a lawmaker from Southern Ijaw Local Government, Monday Obolo, to assume the position of Speaker had agreed to resign yesterday.
The PDP leadership had impressed it on Isenah (Kolokuma/Opokuma 1), Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Area, same area where the party’s governorship candidate, Senator Douye Diri hails from, that his resignation and election of Obolo would bolster the chances of the PDP in Southern Ijaw area and sway voters from voting for the All Progressive Congress(APC) governorship candidate, Chief David Lyon, who is also from the area.
However, Isenah made a volte-face and in a closed door session after reporters were excused from the press gallery told his colleagues that the House would be going on recess.
The lawmakers were said to have impeached Isenah with a voice vote following Bernard Kenebia( PDP Sagbama 2).
Oboku Oforji (PDP Yenagoa 1) moved a motion for the election of Obolo Speaker and it was supported by Naomi Ogoli (Ogbia 3).
Meanwhile, Governor of Bayelsa State, Seriake Dickson, has congratulated Obolo
The governor, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei, described the new Speaker as a promising, young and vibrant political leader with the capacity to carry out the sensitive responsibility of presiding over the affair of the Legislative arm of government.
He called on the members of the Assembly to give the requisite support to the new speaker to enable him to succeed in his new position as the Head of the Legislature in the state.
Governor Dickson advised the Speaker and the members of the Assembly to ensure that the Assembly legacy of stability was sustained.
However, Isenah has declared that he remains the Speaker.
He said any action that took place after he had adjourned the House sine die was illegal, null and void.
Isenah also denied reports that he had an arrangement to resign his position after certain period in time.
“At the appropriate time I would address Bayelsans and tell them what transpired. I never had an arrangement that I am going to resign in three months. Let them show me any document to that effect where I said I was going to resign.”