The Rivers State House of Assembly has suspended and removed its Majority Leader, Hon. Edison Ehie, over his alleged complicity in the arson attack on the assembly on Sunday night.
The hallowed chamber was reportedly set ablaze by suspected political thugs in the state.
This is said to have followed a move by the House to commence an impeachment process on the Ehie, and the state Governor, Sir Siminalayi Fubara on Monday.
At the plenary on Monday, 24 out of 32 members removed the House leader and four other lawmakers.
Earlier, Fubara stormed the Assembly complex on Monday morning, while House members fled for safety as tear gas was fired outside the complex.
Also, a protest was also staged outside the complex.
At the first sitting of the 10th session of the Assembly, Hon Martins Amaewhule, an indigene of the Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, from where the former Governor Nyesom Wike hails, was elected Speaker.
It was unclear if Sunday night’s fire was connected with the political imbroglio but rumours of a rift between Fubara and his predecessor, Wike, who is now the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, have been brewing for some time now.
The arsonists were said to have carried out the act at about 9:45 pm, causing uneasy calm around the Assembly complex where the state Police Command also stands.
A senior police officer in the state, who did not want to be mentioned confirmed the development, adding that it took efforts of police and the state Fire Service teams to put out the fire.
The source said: “Yes, the Rivers State House of Assembly main chamber was under attack and set on fire. It was policemen and the fire service team that helped to put out the fire”.
However, at press time, security personnel have taken over the premises of the assembly complex.
Over 17 security trucks and four Armoured Personnel Carriers have been stationed at the facility with over 50 Federal Security personnel mobilized at the complex.
