Bayelsa Assembly Leadership Crisis: Gov Dickson recognizes new Speaker

Gov Seriake Dickson of Bayelsa has endorsed the election of a new Speaker for Bayelsa House of Assembly which took place under controversial circumstances on Monday.

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 Hon Emmanuel Isenah adjourned the session indefinitely for the house to proceed on recess.

But youths who besieged the assembly immediately stormed the House, shooting 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 nd elected Hon Monday Obolo. PDP Southern Ijaw Constituency 2 to replace Isenah.

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

Observers of political developments say the development was a confirmation that the impeachment of Isenah had the back of the executive arm of Bayelsa government.

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

It was  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 can only happen after the polls

The party believes 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 remains the Speaker as he had earlier adjourned the sitting sine die and only him could re-convene the house to session..

“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 happens after we went on recess is illegal and therefore a nullity.” Isenah said (