Source: Sahara Reporters
Delta State Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was, on Tuesday, prevented from
commissioning a road project in Sapele by thugs led by Mr. Monday
Igbuya, the recently impeached Speaker of the state legislature.
functionaries were in the area to commission the road and inspect other
projects as part of activities marking the second anniversary of his
administration.
But Mr. Igbuya, leading a band of thugs, invaded the venue and chased away the governor and his entourage.
The governor, his deputy, the newly elected Speaker of the House, Mr.
Sheriff Oborevwori; his deputy, Mr. Friday Osanibi, and other
dignitaries had taken their seats in readiness for the event when Mr.
Igbuya arrived with his thugs to start a protest.
The governor
had to be quickly moved away from the venue. Members of his entourage
also fled, leaving the venue for thugs believed to be loyal to the new
Speaker and the legislator representing Warri North Constituency, Mr.
Michael Diden (alias Ejele), to provide a counter-force.
Some
Sapele youths and members of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were also
present at the venue, where they chanted “Sheriff Oborevwori is our
Speaker, Sheriff Oborevwori is our leader.”
A young man, who
claimed to be Mr. Igbuya’s supporter, told SaharaReporters that the
protest was against the removal of Mr. Igbuya from office by 22 of the
29 members of the House.
“The protest is against Okowa because we
know he was behind the impeachment of Igbuya and we can’t allow such a
person to visit Sapele to do anything. The governor was lucky that he
was not attacked. Mr. Igbuya remains the Speaker of the House whether
they like it or not. What you saw was child’s play. The whole world will
hear when we storm the Government House to continue our protest,” the
visibly angry youth said.
Reacting to the development, a PDP
youth leader in Sapele, Mr. Sunny Nwankego, described the incident as
unfortunate, blaming it on the youths’ inability to understand that Mr.
Igbuya’s reinstatement could not have been true because the House has
not yet sat.
“Some misguided and ill-informed supporters of the
ousted speaker were celebrating last night at his hotel, claiming that
he has been reinstated. To tell you how gullible they are, they do not
understand that Igbuya was impeached and suspended for three months.
Since then, the House has not sat. Where and when did members sit to
lift Igbuya’s suspension and reinstate him as Speaker?” asked Mr.
Nwankego.
The belief that Mr. Igbuya has been restored to his
previous position was apparently induced by a rumor that Mr. James
Ibori, the convicted former governor of the state, had intervened on his
behalf.
This, however, was denied by Mr. Ibori, who said his name was just being dropped by Mr. Igbuya’s supporters.