Senate Committee Begins Investigation On Rivers State Crisis

The Senate committee on states and local government administration has commenced investigations over the crisis rocking the Rivers State House Assembly.
The Chairman of the committee; Senator Kabiru Gaya who led other eight other members on a fact finding mission to the state assured Nigerians of finding lasting peace to the stalemate during a courtesy visit to governor Chibuike Amaechi yesterday in Port Harcourt, and hinted that peace moves have begun.
Shortly after meeting with the governor in a closed door session on Thursday afternoon, chairman of the committee told newsmen in an interview that the body will meet the major parties in the matter which include the commissioner of police, Joint Military Taskforce (JTF), including the pro and anti-Amaechi legislators, before heading back for their final report to the upper legislative house.
He assured that their duty will be done objectively as mandated by the senate with the aim of finding lasting peace to end the crisis that have rocked the state over the past two months.
Senator Gaya however frowned at the withdrawal of security from Governor Amaechi stressing that the governor is the chief executive, chief security officer and number one citizen of the state and he should be protected.
Responding, Governor Amaechi told the Senate committee that the state has been under siege since his victory at the elections of the Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF).
The committee will be meeting with members of the state house of assembly today as scheduled.
It would be recalled that mayhem broke out during a session in the Rivers State House of Assembly on Tuesday the 9^th of July morning when it was reported that hoodlums broke into the House and attempted to seize the mace.
The group also assaulted the Speaker of the House, Hon. Otelema Amachree and the hoodlums were led by 5 members of the House with Hon Evans Bipi being the leader of the gang who moved to impeach the Speaker.
Commissioner for Information, Ibim Semenitari, in a telephone interview with Channels Television revealed that commotion started when Mr Bipi walked up to the speaker and started ‘slapping’ him as members were still exchanging pleasantries.
“While that was going on, some hoodlums had accessed the assembly. The governor (Rotimi Amaechi) was informed and therefore left the government house for the state house of assembly.