Court Orders Bipi To Stop Parading Himself As Rivers Assembly Speaker

EVANS BIPI

A Port Harcourt High Court has ordered member representing Ogu/Bolo State Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon. Evans Bipi to stop parading himself as the Speaker pending the determination of a suit brought against him.

Bipi is the leader of the six-member anti-Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi lawmakers and self-styled speaker of the House of Assembly.

He had recently advised Mr. Amaechi to recognize him as speaker if he still wanted to remain in his seat as governor of the oil rich state.

Justice C. N Wali of an Ahoada High Court gave the order in his ruling on a motion ex-parte brought by Speaker Otelemanba Dan Amachree, his Deputy Leyii Kwanne and others.

The judge adjourned the motion on notice for hearing till January 6, 2014.

The Rivers House of Assembly has been in turmoil since July 9, when an attempt to illegally remove Hon. Amachree as Speaker resulted in a free for all thereby leading to the sealing off the Assembly complex by the police.