The National Assembly on Thursday took over the functions and running of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
This followed the concurrence of the Senate to the motion of the House of Representatives that the National Assembly should take over the functions and duties of the crisis-ridden Rivers State House of Assembly.
The position of the Senate was proposed by its committee on State and Local Government.
The Senate also called on the Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar to, as a matter of urgency, redeploy the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mbu Joseph Mbu, from the state and mandated the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, to intervene and mediate in the Rivers state political crisis and see to its amiable resolution.
The Senate Committee on States and Local Government Administration, with Senator Kabiru Gaya as chairman, recommended “that the Inspector General of Police, should as a matter of urgency redeploy the Commissioner of Police, Rivers State, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, since his relationship with the governor has broken down irretrievably.
“That the National Assembly should as a matter of urgency take over the functions and duties of the Rivers State House of Assembly, pursuant to Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) pending the resolution of the crisis and restoration of peace in the Rivers State.
“That the Senate President should intervene and mediate in the Rivers State political crisis and see to the amicable resolution.”
The decision of the National Assembly to take over the functions and operations of the Rivers State House of Assembly is in conformity with Section 11 (4), which provides that: “At any time when any House of Assembly of a State is unable to perform its functions by reason of the situation prevailing in that State, the National Assembly may make such laws for the peace, order and good government of that State with respect to matters on which a House of Assembly may make laws as may appear to the National Assembly to be necessary or expedient until such time as the House of Assembly is able to resume its functions; and any such laws enacted by the National Assembly pursuant to this section shall have effect as if they were laws enacted by the House of Assembly of the State.”
The Senate Committee in its report indicted President Goodluck Jonathan; his wife, Patient; and the national leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party over what it described as “perceived undue interference with the political and security structure of the state by the President, his wife, and national hierarchy of the PDP.”
The report also indicted the Rivers State Governor, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, over the crisis at the Rivers State House of Assembly on July 9, 2013.
The committee said the crisis was “occasioned by the alleged high handedness of Governor Amaechi.”
Trending
- Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger form new confederation after exiting ECOWAS
- Traders, customers flee as soldiers invade Abuja plaza + Video
- Youth leader advocates ministry for youth unemployment in Ebonyi
- Enhancing disaster resilience through prevention, mitigation, and preparedness, by Kenechukwu Aguolu
- How I became involved in pornography – Pastor Oyedepo
- Minister of Information congratulates newly-elected APRA executives
- Seven injured, cows die in Lagos-Ibadan Expressway accident
- FG constitutes Governing Councils of tertiary institutions + Full list