A plenary session of the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly in Uyo, the State capital, to honour a former Governor, Victor Attah, was Monday disrupted by thugs suspected to be working for sacked All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmaker, Idongesit Ituen.
Ituen was sacked by a court and his seat was billed to be declared by the Speaker, Barr. Onofiok Luke, who was prevented from accessing the House, like other members. The House, however, later sat and declared the seats of five members, including Ituen, vacant
The angry and violent thugs wanted the reinstatement of Idongesit Ituen, representing Itu state constituency.
Expectedly, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned the attempts by the thugs to disrupt the sitting of the House.
The party also condemned the role allegedly played by the police in the state, in reportedly aiding the invasion of the House of Assembly complex by the hoodlum, resulting in near breakdown of order in the state legislature.
The PDP statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Kola Ologbondinyan, alleged that the armed thugs, who accompanied a former member of the House of Assembly, Idongesit Ituen, attempted to disrupt proceedings in a bid to stop the House from reading an order of a Federal High Court, which had last week declared his seat vacant following his decampment from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
He adds, “The court had in a declarative judgment ordered the House of Assembly not to recognize Hon Ituen as a member of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly.
“Strangely, last week, the new Police commissioner posted to the state, Mr. J.B Abang, without any reasons, reportedly ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to house members an action, which paved the way for the hoodlums to invade the complex and attempted to disrupt proceedings.
“Curiously, the hoodlums who attempted to break into the chambers had the backing of policemen, while the members were unprotected, a development which pointed to high-level official conspiracy against the state legislature.
“Though the House of Assembly stood in defence of the law and declared Ituen’s seat as well as those of four others who had decamped from the PDP vacant, in line with the judgment of the court, the PDP completely condemns the action of the police in aiding an invasion of a legislative house.
“While stating that our lawmakers will not be deterred by any form of intimidation and resort to violence by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and compromised security officials, particularly the police, the PDP urges Nigerians to hold the Police and the APC responsible should any harm come upon the leadership or any member of the Akwa-Ibom state House of Assembly.”