28th April, 2016
Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt
Kombowei Benson, Speaker of Bayelsa State House of Assembly on Thursday swore-in some opposition members after pressure was mounted on him to do so.
The opposition lawmakers were sworn-in four months after they were declared winners by the court.
The three lawmakers inaugurated are: Watson Belemote of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, representing Brass Constituency 2; Gibson Munalayefa of the Labour Party for Ogbia Constituency 2 and Gabriel Ogbara of African Democratic Congress for Ogbia Constituency 3.
The ceremony held after the Court of Appeal in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, declared them winners of their various constituencies about four months ago.
Before their swearing in the Peoples Democratic Party-dominated Assembly under the leadership of under the leadership of Kombowei Benson had attracted public opprobrium for failing to swear them in.
The Office of the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice which was inundated with protests had expressed concern over the disobedience of the appellate court’s judgement.
The Bayelsa State Government had in a statement by the Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Chief Jonathan Obueibite, dissociated Dickson from the alleged controversy.
“The Bayelsa Governor, Seriake Dickson, has never interfered with the affairs of the state House of Assembly. The State Assembly is not subject to the unilateral control of the state executive,” Obuebite had said.
During Thursday’s plenary, Benson announced the names of the three opposition legislators and asked them to take their oath of allegiance.
He said the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) having forwarded the names of the three persons to the House of Assembly, it was only constitutional and customary that they swore them in to enable them to take their proper place in the hallowed chamber.
He also dispelled insinuation that the Governor Dickson masterminded the delay in swearing them in, noting that, criticism of the governor in the media was uncalled for.
The Speaker said, “In respect to today’s business, many issues and several write ups were raised. But the three members we are swearing in today have not made any enemies in this House. I, as a member of this great House, have no issues with any of them.
“But the record remains that this House is a lawmaking body and as we continue to make law for the betterment of the people of Bayelsa State, we have rules, guidelines and constitution that drive our activities.
“The leadership of this House has to discuss again and again and saw the need to bring you in because we felt the voice of the constitution is absent and the voice of good representation was not heard. That was how we made conclusion to bring you in.
“Therefore, the insinuation that the governor masterminded your not coming in or anything in the press was uncalled for.
“I want to specially congratulate you and believing that you are here for lawmaking and the constituents you represent should know that nobody was out there to victimise you. May God bless as you are welcome on board.”
With the swearing in of the three lawmakers, the number of opposition lawmakers has risen to five in a 24-member House.