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| River State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu |
The crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly took a new dimension on Tuesday as the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu, issued a directive to the 31 members of the state Assembly to sign an undertaking to be of good conduct at the resumption of sitting.
This came on the heels of the refusal by Mr. Evans Bipi, who is the leader of the lawmakers who are opposed to Governor Rotimi Amaechi, to accept the ruling of a Rivers State High Court in Ahoada, restraining him from parading himself as the Speaker of the state House of Assembly.
The police directive was signed by the state Assistant Commissioner of Police, Mr. John Amadi, on behalf of Mbu and addressed to the Clerk of the House of Assembly.
It specifically instructed the lawmakers to report to the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Criminal Investigation Department to sign the undertaking.
Both the anti and pro-Amaechi lawmakers, according to the directive, are expected to sign the undertaking before they will be allowed into the House of Assembly Complex.
“You are by this letter also requested to invite all members of the RSHA, to kindly report to the Deputy Commissioner of Police, in charge of Criminal Investigation Department, where each member of the House will sign an undertaking, that they will conduct themselves in an orderly manner, when they resume sitting,” the police directive reads in part.
The state police command, however, stated that it had not received a copy of a Federal High Court in Abuja which nullified the takeover of the functions of the House of Assembly by the National Assembly.
It added that the Commissioner of Police had also directed the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, Dog Sniffing Unit and the C41 Unit to carry out inspection of the Assembly complex in preparation for resumption of legislative duties.
“You may wish to recall the court judgment of Wednesday, December 11, 2013, in which the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, headed by Justice Ahmed Mohammed ruled that the Rivers State House of Assembly should resume sitting.
“This command has yet to receive a copy of the said court judgment. However, the CP directs the Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, Dog Sniffing Unit and the C41 Unit, to carry out thorough security inspection and sweeping of the entire premises of the RSHA, in preparation for resumption of legislative duties,” the directive further reads.
Reacting, the Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Mr. Leyii Kwanee, told newsmen that the lawmakers would approach their legal team over the invitation by the police.
Kwanee said, “We are taking a look at the letter. We also intend this morning to liaise with our lawyers for proper briefing.
“Suddenly, the police that we did a letter to sometime last week with a view to visiting the CP in order to give him an update as it relates with what has been going on the House, have written that we sign an undertaking.”
Speaking in Port Harcourt on Tuesday, Bipi, who is the leader of the anti-Amaechi lawmakers, said he was set to resume duties as the Speaker of the state House of Assembly.
He said, “Does Amaechi obey court orders? My intention is not to sit and impeach the governor. This is a democracy. I am going there (Assembly) to resume my duties as speaker.
“No kangaroo court order can stop me from resuming my duties as the speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly. I cannot obey any kangaroo court in Ahoada.”
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