Rivers State House of Assembly Crisis Escalates, Spills To Streets

The fracas that erupted over who controls the Rivers State House of Assembly, yesterday, spilled to the streets, leaving several people injured. At the centre are 27 legislators loyal to Governor Rotimi Amaechi and five others belonging to the opposition.

Yesterday’s street fight attracted thugs who descended on pro-Amaechi supporters, forcing them to retreat into Government House in Port Harcourt.

The seat of government in the state did not prove to be a safe haven as policemen in hot pursuit of the pro-Amaechi suppporters shot several canisters of tear gas into the fence of the seat of power, peppering government officials holed inside the complex. The chaos provoked by the mayhem forced banks, the state secretariat and the judiciary to hurriedly close shops.

Soldiers Take Over Rivers State Assembly

A detachment of soldiers has taken over the Rivers House of Assembly following the fracas that erupted there on Tuesday and continued today. The soldiers took over when two opposing youth groups numbering over 2,000, some pro-Governor Chibuike Amaechi, some against, attempted to storm the Assembly this morning.

They had disparate missions: to either prevent the five renegade lawmakers from sitting or to aid them. There was a clash between the youths and one was reportedly shot. No one knows who actually fired the shot.

The pro-Amaechi group, which is under the auspices of Ikwerre Youth Movement, IYM, was this morning led by Tony Okocha, the Chief of Staff, while the other group of youths under the aegis of Grassroots Democratic Initiative, GDI, is loyal to Nyesom Wike, the Minister of State for Education.

[Video] Mayhem Breaks In Rivers State Assembly [Comprehensive]

The battle between the Pro and Anti Rivers state governor in the state Assembly went bloody on Tuesday [July 9]. A group of five anti Ameachi lawmakers reportedly toppled the twenty-five pro Ameachi and purportedly impeached the house speaker. Symbol of authority "Mace" was completely broken, house leader sustained serious injury while computer systems were seen destroyed. TVC NEWS Kelechi Emekalam reports from the scene of the political mayhem.