Dickson Recognises New Bayelsa Speaker Amidst Leadership Crisis

Posted by African Examiner Featured, Latest Headlines, News From The State Monday, September 30th, 2019

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Gov. Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa has endorsed the election of a new Speaker for Bayelsa House of Assembly which took place under chaotic circumstances on Monday.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that there was heavy shooting at the Bayelsa House of Assembly during a session of the assembly when hundreds of youths stormed the assembly complex in Yenagoa.

Speaker of the Assembly, Mr Emmanuel Isenah, had adjourned the session indefinitely for the house to proceed on recess.

But the youth who besieged the assembly immediately shot sporadically and made away with the mace while some members of the Assembly were still in the chambers.

Some members who sat back reportedly resumed sitting and allegedly impeached the speaker in absentia and elected Mr Monday Obolo (PDP-Southern Ijaw Constituency 2) to replace Isenah.

Dickson, congratulated the newly-elected Speaker, Obolo, in a statement issued on Monday evening by his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Fidelis Soriwei.

According to the statement, Obolo is elected Speaker following the impeachment of the former Speaker, Isenah, on Monday.

NAN, however, gathered that the PDP leadership had advised Isenah to resign or face impeachment for the party to realign the balance of power since Isenah hails from the same area as PDP’s candidate in the Nov. 16 guber poll.

Isenah had held the view that his resignation was premature and could only happen after the polls.

The party believed that giving the position to Southern Ijaw, the zone where the candidate of the rival All Progressives Congress hails from might sway voters.

Reacting to the development in a telephone chat, Isenah said that he remained the Speaker as he had earlier adjourned the sitting sine die and only him could re-convene the house.

“I did not resign, neither was I impeached, I presided over the house and I did not preside as an impeached speaker so as we speak the house is on recess and anything done by anyone is a nullity.

“The speculation that there was an understanding that I will resign is false; I challenge anyone canvassing that position to come up with a proof.

“The Bayelsa House of Assembly is an independent arm of government and I want the people of Bayelsa and every stakeholder to know that what happened after we went on recess “is illegal and therefore a nullity,” Isenah said. (NAN)