The Senate has mandated its Committee on States and Local Government to investigate the cause of the fracas, which broke out in Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday.
The Senate condemned the crisis in the assembly, saying it posed grave danger to the growth of the nation’s democracy.
It also resolved that the Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Abubakar, should take immediate steps to address the frosty relationship between the state Governor, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, and the Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu.
The resolution followed a point of order raised by Senator Magnus Abe (PDP- Rivers) over the fight, which broke out between factions of legislators on the floor of the assembly.
Abe decried the failure of the police command in the state to intervene in the fracas and urged the Senate to take urgent steps to uphold the provisions of the constitution.
He said that the crisis had taken a destructive dimension, adding that the fracas was an indication that the current CP in Rivers State, Joseph Mbu, was no longer able to control the situation.
He said: “It is clear that the Rivers Police Command under the current commissioner of police is incapable of controlling the situation in the state.
“This Senate needs to do something in order to save the state and to save our democracy.”
In his contribution, Senator Babajide Omoworare called for division, challenging the ruling of the President of the Senate, Senator David Mark, and urged the IG to address the frosty relationship between the governor and the commissioner of police.
Omowurare’s position, based on Order 73 of the Senate Standing Rules, caused confusion in the Senate, which led to division to determine if the resolution should be accepted or not.
Under the order, each senator is allowed to vote individually on a matter according to his position.
Opposition senators, who felt the resolution was not stiff enough, rose in support of Omoworare’s call for division to decide the contentious resolution.
At the end of the division vote conducted by the Clerk of the Senate, the `YES’ vote was 50 and the `NO’ vote was 47.
Seven senators were absent and three abstained.
Earlier, Mark had described the incident as “embarrassing,” and a misrepresentation of the image of legislators in the country.
He said: “Clearly, what is happening in Rivers State is an embarrassment to legislators across the length and breadth of this country.
“It is in the interest of state assemblies not to do anything that would portray legislators as irresponsible because that is not what we are.”
Mark urged Nigerians to condemn the incident, adding that it must not be allowed to fester any longer “irrespective of who is directly involved or who is behind it.
“Democracy involves dialogue and at every point people must learn to dialogue, to discuss and bring issues to the table not to fight over issues to the level where it has reached.
“But because of the urgency, this Senate must take immediate step to protect democracy, protect this country and ensure that democracy continues to grow and improve in the country.”
The Senate president pledged the determination of the Senate to uphold and defend the provisions of the constitution as well as defend the Nigerian people at all times.
The Senate’s spokesman, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, told newsmen that the resolution was adopted to safeguard the legislature, which is the heart of democracy.
Abaribe said: “We cannot, as the highest legislative body in Nigeria, watch while there is a clear and present danger to this country.
“This is the reason why the resolution was adopted.
“What we mean by that is that nothing should be done that is against the spirit and letters of the constitution of Nigeria.”
The Senator Kabiru Gaya-chaired States and Local Governments Committee was given one week to submit the report of its findings.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives on Wednesday resolved that the National Assembly should take over the legislative functions of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
The resolution followed what the lawmakers described as the “deteriorating” crisis in the assembly.
It also urged Abubakar to redeploy Mbu for allegedly neglecting his responsibility of providing security for people of the state.
The House based its resolution on Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution, which mandates the National Assembly to take over legislative functions of a state assembly pending resolution of crisis.
The resolution followed a motion by Hon. Albert Sam-Tsokwa (PDP-Donga, Taraba) at plenary session, which was adopted when put to vote by the Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha.
The motion was entitled: “Threat to Democracy and Inability of the Rivers State House of Assembly to Sit and Transact Legislative Business.”
Sam-Tsokwa, Chairman of the House Committee on Rules and Business, drew attention to the invasion of the assembly by hoodlums and thugs and its inability to sit as threats to democracy.
He said it was widely reported that hoodlums and thugs, aided by five of the 32 members of the Rivers assembly, invaded it and allegedly beat up other members on July 9.
Sam-Tsokwa also alleged that one of the five members of the House seized a gun from a policeman and threatened other members of the legislature, including smashing the Speaker’s car.
He recalled that the state assembly had on previous occasions tried to hold its normal sittings and transact parliamentary business, but unable to do so because of the anarchy.
“The assembly could not sit due to the presence of hoodlums in its precincts and inability of the Nigeria Police to provide the legitimate authorities of the House with security,” he said.
He further alleged that the Police Command, which had pledged to provide security for sitting members of the House, watched the violence unleashed on members without any form of intervention.
He said a situation where the state commissioner of police was alleged to have taken sides and five of the 32 members procured thugs to disrupt sitting was improper.
The lawmaker said that five out of the 32 members purportedly attempted “unsuccessfully” to remove the Speaker and leadership of the state assembly.
He said: “If the situation prevailing in the House of Assembly of Rivers State is allowed to continue, it will lead to a serious threat to our democracy which Nigerians fought hard to earn,
“The National Assembly has a duty to invoke its authority under Section 11(4) of the 1999 Constitution as amended.”
He said that due to the crisis, the state may be unable to perform its constitutional functions.
Sam-Tsokwa urged his colleagues to support the motion by taking drastic steps to forestall further occurrence as well as to protect the country’s democracy.
However, Hon. Kingsley Chinda (PDP-Obio/Akpor, Rivers) raised a point of order to stop the consideration of the motion.
Chinda said the House had on July 9 mandated its Committees on Justice and Judiciary, and Police Affairs, to investigate the crisis and report back to it by Tuesday July 16.
He said that Sam-Tsokwa’s motion contravened Order 57(6) of the House rule because a decision had been taken on it.
The Deputy Speaker, however, ruled Chinda out of order on the premise that the rules of the House had been suspended.
Hon. Ken Chikere (PDP-Port Harcourt 1, Rivers) also spoke against the motion, saying that dialogue was the best option rather than invoking Section 11(4) of the Constitution.
Those who spoke in favour of the motion included Hons. Bimbo Daramola (ACN-Ekiti), Udo Oluchi (PDP-Abia), Aminu Shagari (PDP-Sokoto), Femi Gbajabiamila (ACN-Lagos) and 14 others.
They criticised the role of the commissioner of police in the state and called for his immediate redeployment by the IG.
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