Ex- Rivers Speaker dies in Algiers

The immediate past Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Tonye Harry, is dead.

Harry died in Algiers, the capital of Algeria while he was being flown to France for medical treatment for suspected heart failure.

It was gathered that Harry, who represented Degema Constituency in the state assembly since 1999, was in the plane when his condition became worsened mid-air.

That development forced the pilot of the chartered aircraft to land in Algiers so that he could be resuscitated in that North African nation medical facilities.

But he died shortly after the aircraft landed at the Algiers Airport.

His remains is still in Algiers at the time of this report because the Mayor of the City is expected to approve the release of his body.

A close family source said Harry who served as speaker from 2007 to 2011 slumped in the evening of October 1 while playing table tennis at the Tennis Section of the Port Harcourt Sports Club, and was rushed to a private hospital in the D-Line area of Port Harcourt.

The medical director of the private hospital, said to be Harry's personal physician later referred him to the Kesley Harrison Hospital, which is one of the newly built state-of-the arts hospital located around Emenike Street, Mile1, Port Harcourt.