South East South South Professionals condemn police shutdown of Rivers LG secretariats
By Jeffrey Agbo
South East South South Professionals of Nigeria (SESSPN) has expressed disapproval of the takeover of secretariats of the 23 local government councils of Rivers State by the police.
At a world press conference held on Wednesday in Lagos, president of SESSPN, Hannibal Uwaifo, said the group was not in support of the police claim of taking over the secretariats for security reasons.
The group hinged its decision on the following, “The action of the Nigerian Police has the effect of preventing all Workers in the 23 Local Government Councils of Rivers State from accessing their Offices and rendering their legitimate duties.
“The 23 Local Government Area Council Workers are not involved in any Court Case and did not invite the Police to protect them from those in Court.
“The Police are not Parties to the Cases in the Courts and the Courts never mandated the Police to act on her behalf.
“The Police do not have the capacity to determine when each of the Court Cases will end and therefore it will be unreasonable for them to close down Council Secretariats indefinitely.
“There is a valid Court Judgement effectively nullifying the Local Government amendment Law which purported to extend the tenure of Local Government Chairman in Rivers State. That is what the Police is to enforce but that is not what they are doing, effectively signifying the Partisanship of the Police.
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“Assuming but not conceding that the rival claims and Criminality are involved Particularly the violence perpetuated by some of the Politicians and their cronies, the duty of the Police is to identify the troublemakers, arrest and Prosecute them not to close down an entire system except the Police are saying that they are incapable of carrying out their statutory duties.”
The SESSPN therefore condemned the police siege on the local government councils as “manifestly illegal, baseless, rootless, irresponsible and call on the Inspector-General of Police to withdraw them immediately or face Legal actions including Peaceful Protests until they vacate the Councils.”
The group commended Governor Siminalayi Fubara “for the maturity and candour he has exhibited in the face of these Provocations and assures him the SESSPN will stand by him in all that is Legal for the People of Rivers State and urge all Stakeholders and detractors alike to stop calling for a State of Emergency in Rivers State because a State of emergency does not amount to dismantling the democratic Government elected by the People.”
On the forthcoming governorship poll in Edo State, the SESSPN called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a transparent election.
“SESSPN has taken notice of the unfortunate statements of President Bola Tinubu about giving Edo State to his Party. The videos of the President seen with his Party supporters boasting about giving Edo State back to his Party is sad and has already sent tongue wagging about the intentions of the President considering the massive rigging and manipulations that took place during the 2023 General Elections,” the group said.
Lastly, it urged the Federal Government to cut spending on frivolities, address inflation, poverty among others.
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