Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly was on Monday invaded by armed thugs the premises to stop the sitting of the House.
The hoodlums numbering over a hundred arrived the assembly complex situated at Udo Udoma road, Uyo in the early hours of yesterday and blocked the main entrance to the complex.
The thugs, our correspondent gathered, were mobilized by the five lawmakers who had recently defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the All Progressives Congress (APC).
It was also learnt that the invasion of the Assembly Monday by the hoodlums was aimed at preventing the House from sitting to declare the seats of the five APC lawmakers vacant.
The thugs blocked the main entrance of assembly complex and also disrupted vehicular and human traffic in and out of the complex. They made bonfires and shot sporadically into the air.
But for the intervention of the security operatives, the thugs would have gained entrance to the Hallowed Chamber of the House. However, the hoodlums succeeded in smashing some doors and windows of the assembly complex.
Amid the tension, the assembly, however, went ahead to hold its plenary during which it declared the seats of the five APC lawmakers vacant.
The affected legislators include Idongesit Ituen (Itu), Gabriel Tobby (Etim Ekpo/Ika), Victor Udofia (Ikono), Otobong Ndem (Mkpat Enin), and Nse Ntuen (Essien Udim).
The Speaker of the state house of assembly, Mr. Onofiok Luke said the House took the decision in line with section 109 sub. 1G of the 1999 constitution as amended.
The House also passed a motion urging Governor Udom Emmanuel to name either the Akwa Ibom state University or the Ibom International Airport after a former Governor of the state, Obong Victor Attah in commemoration of his 80th birthday today.
