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By Iheanyi Chukwudi
Governor Similanayi Fubara of Rivers State has called out the the Inspector- General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, over his alleged complicity in the crisis in the state, vowing to hold the Police boss responsible if there is breakdown of law and order in state.
Fubara who spoke at a press conference in Port Harcourt, on Friday, insisted that the IGP must be conscious of his role as head of the Nigerian Police Force.
The Governor had in the early hours of Friday stormed the headquarters of the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in Port Harcourt to prevent an alleged attempt to steal election materials for tomorrow's Council polls.
After the Governor's intervention, the Rivers State Police Command through press statement issued by the spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, directed its Commanders to enforce a Federal High Court ruling that halts the scheduled local government elections.
The Police stressed that the Federal High Court in Abuja had, on July 19, 2024, issued a restraining order preventing the police and other security agencies from providing security for the election.
The statement emphasized that the Command had been instructed by their Force Legal Department to adhere to the court’s September 30, 2024, judgment, which again prohibited their involvement in the local government elections.
Apparently reacting to the Police position, the Governor at the press briefing pointed out that the primary responsibility of the police is to protect lives and properties, not to barricade the premises of electoral body.
He said, “I am saying this here so that the IGP should be aware and just to know that any action that will bring a situation of lawlessness in this state and I think at the end of the day, he should be prepared to take responsibility.
In the early hours of this morning I got a security report that the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission office had been invaded by the Nigerian Police. I was really surprised because before that time, I got a copy of a signal withdrawing the police officers that were guiding the premises. So, I had to drive to the premises myself since the facility belongs to the Rivers State Government.”
Getting to the scene and to the shock of everyone who escorted me there, I met the presence of some fierce looking policemen in one truck and three other empty vans trying to force their way into the premises. And I had to stop them.
In the course of that process, we discovered that, that movement was a deliberate attempt by the Nigerian Police Force Command, both the Rivers Command and the Headquarter to steal the election materials. But by the special grace of God, that act was foiled.
Here are the questions. First, what is Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission? It is a facility, it is an agency, is a process that is controlled by the state government. It is a process, it is a system that it is the law of the state that governs. Why is the case of Rivers State different?
The second part of it is what is the special thing about this issue of taking over the premises? If we should go by what they claim that they have a court order, the court ruling said don’t give RSIEC voters register, don’t give RSIEC police protection.
Did the judgement say seal the premises, don’t allow them conduct election? However the Rivers State Government and the RSIEC itself also had a judgement that states clearly to conduct the election with the voters register of 2023.
Police, DSS, Nigerian Army and other sister agencies should provide security. I might not be a lawyer but I understand clearly that when it comes to issue of judgment, there is something they call first in time. So what is this special interest about the Federal High Court judgment? Secondly why are they looking for a way to stampede this state?
Why is the case of Rivers different? Is it that the law or the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria when it comes to Rivers State it’s interpreted in different way? Local government is the affairs of the state government there is no federal institutions can dictate in any form the way and manner our local government system should operate talk less of coming to tell us that we cannot hold election or otherwise.
So, I have gathered you this morning to inform you that any attempt by anyone or any security agencies to stop this election, we are prepared to make sure that we resist it.”
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