Barely three months after former Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Senator Godswill Akpabio defected from opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), the state’s House of Assembly today was engulfed in crisis.
Five previously sacked members of the State Assembly who are members of the APC were reportedly chased out of the Assembly premises which generated heavy fightin in the premises.
According to reports there was a serious gunfire by security men as the youths tried to pursue Nse Ntuen, the factional Speaker and other four out of the chambers of the Assembly.
Further reports gave that Ntuen and others had arrived the chambers early before the time for plenary with plans to impeach the state Governor Udom Emmanuel.
The Governor however arrived the venue with members of his cabinet and security details, about 10am which helped the youths to pursue the five lawmakers out of the Assembly premises.
It was gathered that APC’s Nse Ntuen’s faction who was purportedly elected Speaker last week held a session and
suspended 11 members of total 26 with former speaker Onofiok Luke topping the list.
Luke last week had convened sitting where Ntuen was suspended along with four other members.
Other members suspended by Ntuen include Udo Kerian Akpan, Felicia Bassey, Nse Essien, Lawrence Udofia, Usoro Akpanusoh, Ime Okon, Friday Iwok, Asuquo Archibong, Mark Esset, Emmanuel Ekpenyong and Aniekan Uko who were suspended till further notice.
Ntuen also dissolved all standing committees constituted by the former speaker and adjourned till Tuesday 4 December.
Meanwhile, the ruling party in the south south state, the PDP via its Twitter handle has accused former Governor Godswill Akpabio of masterminding the crisis.
The PDP also blamed Akpabio of causing the transfer of former Police Commissioner, Bassey Abang who was replaced with the new commissioner, Mr. Musa Kimo.
