In a show of solidarity with the Martin Amaewhule-led led Rivers State House of Assembly, leaders across political party lines have called on the state Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, to shelve any plan to tamper with structures at the House of Assembly quarters located along Aba Road in Port Harcourt.
The elders comprising past and present members of the National Assembly, local government chairmen and opinion leaders spoke on Sunday when they paid a surprised visit to the quarters to assess the condition of the buildings
The Amaewhule faction garnered support from representative of Obio/Akpor Constituency in the Federal House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, Senator Olaka Nwogu, former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Ikuinyi Ibani amongst other law makers in a protest on Sunday opposed any attempt to demolish the building commissioned in 2022.
Their intervention was following the recent visit of the governor to the facility and insinuations of a plan to renovate the estate, which currently houses the hallowed chamber of the Martins Amaewhule-led House of Assembly.
Speaking after inspecting the facility, the leaders criticized the governor against his alleged renovation intentions, urging him to responsibly manage state resources rather than demolish a structure previously hailed as excellent by former Federal House Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila in 2022 while commissioning the buildings.
Amaewhule told the leaders that there was a grand plot by the governor to bring down the structures the same way he ordered the demolition of House of Assembly Complex located along the Moacow Road to stop them from sitting.
He said the structures were in excellent condition, fully functional and were currently occupied by the lawmakers and their family members.
He condemned the manner the governor stormed the quarters aided by thugs and armed policemen alleging that Fubara broke the gate and allowed others to scale the fence.
Amaewhule said the lawmakers never invited the governor to come to the quarters adding that the estate remained the property of the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Also speaking, the Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda,noted that the integrity report received from their own team of engineers on the assembly quarters revealed that nothing is wrong with the building and the Governor should do well by leaving the building the way it is.
Chinda said before their visit, they had already engaged experts to assess the integrity of the structures at the complex and their report showed that they would last for more than 25 years.
He observed that the Assembly built by Wike about two years ago and inaugurated by a former Speaker of the House of Representatives remained the best in Africa and was better than the National legislative quarters.
He said: “Let me salute the speaker and members of the House. The assembly complex that was brought down some leaders of the state went to USA to get that design. When it was built, it was the best state assembly in this country. That structure is nowhere today.
“However, as members of the National Assembly from Rivers State, we have joined the leaders and elders of the state to discuss the issues happening in our state the latest being the threat to bring down the structures in this premises.
“We have commissioned engineers and experts to study and give us the report of the integrity of these structures. We have received the report. And the report says these structures have a lifespan of nothing less than 25 year.
Also, former Speaker of the Rivers House of Assembly, Ikuinyi Ibani, said their assessment had shown that there was nothing wrong with the structures and called on the governor to jettison any plan to tamper with quarters.
He warned that the governor should desist from any action that could trigger violent reaction in the state saying Fubara must at all times promote law and order in the state
He said: “I am here with other leaders to show and prove to the world that democracy is the best form of government and that this is one institution that should be defended in any democratic setting
In addition, Senator Olaka Nwogu emphasized that any threat to the Rivers State Assembly Quarters undermines democracy, adding that a Governor is suppose to uphold law and order, rather than acting as a chief law breaker.
He said if the governor continued to destroy hallowed chambers, the members would continue to create more in defence of democracy.
Nwogu recalled the destruction of the House of Assembly complex and described it as the greatest assault on democracy.
He said: “I have never seen a situation where those tasked with protecting public property will be those to destroy such property. When the Rivers State House of assembly was brought down, it is like a movie to most Nigerians. That was the greatest assault on democracy.”