On Friday, Rivers state governor, Rotimi Amaechi reminisced on
the govt house blockage incident which he described as the height of lawlessness and
impunity.
He said, “All of you saw how the former
Speakers came down from the vehicle to tell them (police) where we
were coming from, but the Police resisted. “It is for Nigerians to
see that we no longer have democracy in this country. We are now in a
regime where the law is no longer supreme. We must rise up against
this impunity against our democracy.”
“The National Assembly and the
various state houses of assembly should address the retirement and
welfare of the ex-lawmakers, it is very important,” Amaechi said.
The Chairman of the former Speakers’
Forum and ex-Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon.
Simon Lalong, described the police behaviour as the highest level of
impunity in the country. He also urged the National Assembly to call
for the resignation of the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Mohammed
Abubakar.
Lalong, who spoke on behalf of the
ex-speakers, said that if the police could act so unfairly where a
governor was concerned, ordinary Nigerians were not safe.
He said, “I don’t think it is really
police overzealousness, but the police are controlled by higher
authorities. So, if that is what is happening, I think people should
collectively call for the resignation of the Inspector-General of
Police.
“Very soon, maybe they will start
arresting people in their houses. I wonder what is really happening. I
think the President must intervene in this issue.”
Also, a former Speaker of the Lagos
State House of Assembly, Senator Olorunimbe Mamora, expressed sadness at
the action of the police.
Mamora said, “I think, to say the least,
that (roadblock) was quite unfortunate because we were coming from an
inspection of projects. More than 70 former speakers were in the
governor’s (Amaechi) entourage to inspect projects and on our way back
to the Government House, we discovered that we just couldn’t pass
because the road had been blocked.”
Peterside, Sagay, Okey, others react In
Abuja, a member of the House of Representatives, who is also the
Chairman, House Committee on Downstream, Mr. Dakuku Peterside,
described the police action as the height of dictatorship in the
country.
Peterside, who is from Rivers State, spoke via a statement issued by his media aide, Mr. Sylvester Asoya.
He said, “A situation whereby the
Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Mbu led police in the State, an
agency funded with tax payers money, to block the elected state
governor from having access to Government House, showed that Nigeria
was on a free fall to maximum dictatorship.”
Peterside further lamented that “the
insult on the Government of Rivers State is an affront to all elected
political office holders in Nigeria that requires definite
condemnation by all lovers of freedom and democracy.”
A former chairman of the Action Congress
of Nigeria in Oyo State, who is now a leading figure in the newly
registered All Progressives Alliance, Mr. Akin Oke, said the action
of the police in Rivers State was a threat to democracy, calling on
President Goodluck Jonathan to caution Mbu, for disrespecting social
equality.
Similarly, a respected lawyer, Prof.
Itse Sagay (SAN), and the National Vice President, Committee for the
Defense of Human Rights, Mr. Taiwo Otitolaye, said the police action
was a threat to democracy.
In separate telephone interviews with
our correspondent in Ilorin on Friday, they advised against acts that
could jeopardize the nation’s democracy.
While Sagay said the blockage was an
abuse of power and a violation of Nigeria’s constitution, Otitolaye
said it was an act of brigandage.
“It is undemocratic. We condemn it in
strong terms. It is worrisome to us now that we are not in a military
dictatorship. We do not want to revert to that era of military
dictatorship. We ask that the presidency should not use the police or
other security apparatus for any undemocratic adventure. He should
desist henceforth from such,” Otitolaye said.
Sagay described the police action as a
breach of the rule of law, a breach of the right of the freedom of
the movement of the governor; a breach of Amaechi’s right to go to
his office and an inhumane act. He said, “It is a breach of
everything. It should not be seen to happen in a civilized society or a
democratic society.”
Oke said, “The event of Thursday in Port
Harcourt is worrisome and disturbing, particularly at this point when
we are thinking that democracy has come to stay. For democracy to
thrive in Nigeria, there must be tolerance. When you now view it from
the point that there is no tolerance within the party (PDP), how do we
grow our democracy?”
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All these political antics by Chibuike Amaechi won't take him anywhere... Crying foul all the time @ every of his misfortune in the polity and plots to gain the sympathy of the maasses by crying wolf when there is none. One thing is certain.., pride comes b4 a fall and arrogance in servitude will definitely bury the servant deep.
ReplyDelete@ Miaki, you are talking rubbish.
ReplyDeleteDo we have or have witnessed democracy in this country?
OBJ era was more or else a military regime, now it is time for GEJ autocratic style of governance.
Rubbish.
Miami is so ignorant of what happen in Port, police commissioner of that state shld be deployed and lGP is advice to resign if he can't control Rivers police commissioner. Why, how can he the commission block the democratically elected gov from entering his govern House.
ReplyDeleteI wish Amechi listens and understands the voice of reasons, I am one of his stunch supporter considering his achievements in Rivers. But his recent attitude of setting up fire and then turn back to cry fouls and claiming victim, leaves nothing to desire. Over ambition is about to destroy him, he should learn a lesson from the likes of his former God-Father Odili. This could spell doom, uptill now we are yet to find those responsible for the deaths of past political leaders such (Mashal Harry, Dokubo (PDP former South South Leaders, Bola Ige, secretary to judiciary, Mr Ogbonna and numerous others between 1999 to 2007. Yet Nigeria is going on. He should let go, and rescind from being used to destroy Nigeria. God's time is the best. Power belongs to God, if He wants him Amechi to be Vice as I believe he is fighting for Jehovah God will bring it to pass. But for him and his cohorts to stand astutely to pull down GEJ God has brought from grass to Presidency, it will not work. It will be like Balak asking Balaam to curse Isreal, of course, we know what happened after. Balaam told him, that "he cannot curse whom GOD has blessed". GEJ did not fight the way the rebel gov'nors are now fighting to be President. Only one of them can be president at a time. What is all these about? Bible that God is the only One who brings somebody from rags to kingship(riches) and also pulls the rich to rags. He makes the Kings and he also pulls down the kings if he so choose. Please you and team should allow GEJ to concentrate and deliver his promises, overheating the system is not the best for Nigeria now. Plzzzz.......
ReplyDeleteThe first story was that he was going to see GEJ, now it's that he was going to enter his house ,which is it? People are shouting impunity now, where were they when amaechi did worse to duly elected chairmen?
ReplyDeleteNo democracy? After you democratically withheld allowances of your perceived opponents and removed them?stop all this playing to the gallery and do the work we voted for you to do?fashola is also against jonathn but he is still working!
ReplyDeleteFunny ameachi,only now you realise that there is no democracy in this country becos the hits is on you. You aint see anything yet, nemesis will soon catch-up with you guys one by one in that your good for notting party (pdp). What an ungrateful leaders!
ReplyDeletePls let the truth be told. Let's not single amechi out alone here. If this is possible in river state then it is possible in all the other states. Other governors should get ready. When you are out of favour with patience jonathan that's when u start having problem. The fear of patience jonathan is the begining of wisdom.
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