Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
Bayelsa State House of Assembly has elected Abraham Ingobere as the new speaker following the resignation of the erstwhile speaker, Monday Bubuo-Obolo.
Bubuo-Obolo’s resignation was in line with the pre-governorship election agreement reached among leaders of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) from the three senatorial districts that with the governorship and deputy governorship candidates coming from Bayelsa Central and Bayelsa West respectively, the speakership would be zoned to Brass in Bayelsa East to ensure fairness, equity and political stability.
The declaration of All Progressives Congress (APC) David Lyon from Southern Ijaw Local Government Area in Bayelsa Central as winner of the November 16 governorship election and with his deputy coming from Nembe in Bayelsa East had altered the calculation of the PDP and favoured the speaker coming from Bayelsa West.
However, the Supreme Court’s judgment on February 13 which voided Lyon’s election had paved the way for the PDP to return to its original agreement after the inauguration of Douye Diri and Lawrence Ehwrudjakpor as governor and deputy governor respectively.
At its resumed plenary, Bubou-Obolo, who is from the same senatorial district with Diri, announced he would be stepping down as speaker to ensure stability in the polity.
Bernard Kenebai moved a motion for the election of Ngobere as speaker and Gibson Munalayefa seconded the motion.
While Wisdom Fafi moved a motion for the election of Micheal Ogbere as deputy speaker, Felix Bonny Ayah seconded it.
Also, Ebiuwou Koko Obiyai was elected as the chief whip.
Meanwhile, high-wire intrigues and lobbying are delaying the appointment of key government officials to kick-start the government of Diri.
Five days after his inauguration, Diri has not been able to appoint secretary to the state government, chief of staff, deputy chief of staff and other key aides to hit the ground running as promised.