INTRIGUES continue to trail the political crisis in Rivers State as the state House of Assembly Complex was on Wednesday demolished.
This was as Governor Siminalayi Fubara presented the N800bn 2024 budget estimates to the Edison Ehie-led group at the Government House the same moment the demolition was carried out.
Ehie and Martins Amaewhule have been embroiled in a Speakership tussle which is in court.
The presentation of the budget was held at a hall in the Government House, apparently, due to the “renovation” work at the state assembly complex which started Wednesday morning.
Present at the budget presentation were members of the House loyal to Ehie. None of the members who recently moved from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC) was in attendance.
Also present were a former speaker of the House, Adams Dabotorudinma; and former Deputy Speaker, Marshal Uwom.
The demolition of the complex was carried out by the state government.
The Complex was demolished amid tight security about two months after fire gutted the complex.
The demolition exercise started at about 6:45am with the state governor leading a convoy consisting of about 10 bulldozers carried on heavy-duty flatbed lorries into the Assembly premises.
Security presence along Moscow road was very tight, with both sides of the road completely cordoned off and blocked to vehicular traffic.
However there was no repeat of the actions of October 30 when the governor was tear-gassed as the policemen allowed foot traffic in and out of the street.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police, Tunji Disu, has convened a security meeting at the Command headquarters with a briefing promised later today.
So far, most facilities on Moscow road remained open.
Meanwhile, the Rivers State Government said the renovation of the State House of Assembly Complex was carried out on the advice of consultants, who warned that the building is no longer habitable.
The government said the advice to demolish and restructure the building was predicated on the recent fire that engulfed the allowed chambers and the need to strengthen the long existing complex.
The Commissioner for Information, Joe Johnson, stated this on the sidelines of the presentation of the 2024 budget at the Government House in Port Harcourt.
He further said the state government has already provided an alternative place for the lawmakers to carry on their affairs pending the rebuilding of the complex.
The statement read, “The Rivers State Government says the decision to demolish and rebuild the Rivers State House of Assembly Complex was due to the structural defects which arose mainly as a result of the recent explosion and fire incident which rendered the main building unfit for human use.
“After the visit of the governor to inspect the level of damage done to the building on the day of the fire incident, it became necessary to invite professionals to advise the government on the integrity of the building.
“It would be recalled that on the night of the attack on the complex, explosive dynamites were used to attack the complex which shook it to foundation.
“There were visible cracks on the walls afterwards, and the entire structure looked frail and unsafe for legislative business
“After the assessment of the integrity of the complex, the experts warned the government that continuing to use the building in its present state would be disastrous.”
He said the government hopes to give the renovation accelerated hearing.