By: Felix Ikpotor
The Rivers State House of Assembly now has a new speaker. He is Hon. Ikuinyi-Owaji Ibani, the lawmaker representing Andoni Constituency and one of the returning lawmakers in the house.
Ibani was the speaker of the 8th Assembly before he was ousted by the Appeal Court.
His election followed the swearing-in of all returning and newly elected members of the house by the former speaker, Hon. Dabotorudima Adams who resigned immediately after performing the exercise.
The Former Speaker, Dabotorudima Adams while putting in his resignation stated that although he was not overwhelmed by the task of the office but for equity and power sharing.
“It is not that I am overwhelmed by the responsibilities of the office but for the interest of the state, equity and power sharing which is the beauty of politics. I promise to work with whoever rules after me to take the state forward”.
The new speaker, Ibani thanked the lawmakers for keeping faith in him and for supporting him throughout his quest to regain his mandate and promised to carry everybody along for the benefit of the state.
Those sworn-in includes Victoria Nyechi representing Port Harcourt Constituency 2, Mathew Dike representing Tai, Josiah Olu representing Eleme, Innocent Barikor representing Gokana, Adonye Diri for Opobo/Nkoro and Azubuike Wanjoku representing Ikwerre constituency. Others are Granville Tekenari Wellington for Asari-Toru Constituency1 and his constituency 2 counterpart, Enemi Alabo George, Farah Dagogo for Degema Constituency, Blessing Pepple for Bonny Constituency and Chief Friday Nke- eh for Khana Constituency2.
Earlier, the assembly had passed into law the 2017 Appropriation Bill of N470bn.
