The Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, has endorsed the election of a new Speaker for the State House of Assembly which took place under controversial circumstances on Monday.

There was heavy shooting at the premises of the House of Assembly during a session of when hundreds of youths stormed the Assembly complex in Yenagoa, the State capital.

The embattled Speaker of the Assembly, Hon Emmanuel Isenah, adjourned the session indefinitely for the house to proceed on recess.

But youths who besieged the Assembly immediately stormed the House, shooting sporadically and made away with the mace while some members of the Assembly were still in the chambers.

Some members who sat back reportedly resumed sitting and allegedly impeached the speaker in absentia and elected Hon Monday Obolo, PDP Southern Ijaw Constituency 2 to replace Isenah.

Dickson congratulated the newly elected Speaker, Obolo in a statement issued Monday evening his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Fidelis Soriwei.

Observers of political dynamics in the State say the development was a confirmation that the impeachment of Isenah had the backing of the Executive.

According to the statement, Obolo was elected Speaker following the impeachment of the former Speaker, Isenah, on Monday.

It was however gathered that the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had advised Isenah to resign or face impeachment for the party to realign the balance of power since Isenah hails from the same area as the party’s candidate in the November 16 gubernatorial poll.

Isenah had held the view that his resignation was premature and can only happen after the polls.

However, the party believes that giving the position of Speaker to Southern Ijaw, the zone where the governorship candidate of the rival All Progressives Congress (APC) hails from, might sway voters.

Reacting to the development in a telephone chat, Isenah said that he remains the Speaker as he had earlier adjourned the sitting sine die and only him could re-convene the House.

“I did not resign neither was I impeached. I presided over the House and I did not preside as an impeached Speaker; so as we speak the House is on recess and anything done by anyone is a nullity.

“The speculation that there was an understanding that I will resign is false. I challenge anyone canvassing that position to come up with a proof.

“The Bayelsa House of Assembly is an independent arm of government and I want the people of Bayelsa and every stakeholder to know that what happens after we went on recess is illegal and therefore a nullity,” Isenah said

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