Barely a day to the Rivers State local government election slated for October 5, reports have emerged that some operatives of the Nigeria Police Force attempted to take over the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) in early hours of Friday, 4th October......See Full Story>>.....See Full Story>>
It was reported that the policemen made attempt to break into the ‘strong room of the Commission to cart away sensitive electoral materials’ meant for the conduct of Saturday’s local government election in the State.
The deployment was said to have been ordered by the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.
However, the mission plots of the officers were thwarted when vigilant security officials alerted principal officers of the Commission and relevant government authorities, who immediately informed the State Governor of the development.
Governor Siminalayi Fubara immediately led a team of government officials, lawmakers from the National Assembly and State House of Assembly, top political stakeholders, and other leaders to storm the facility.
Addressing newsmen in front of RSIEC Office on Aba Road in Port Harcourt after the encounter, Governor Fubara slammed the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, for being ‘unprofessional’.
He said, “We came here this morning when we heard that the Nigeria Police were coming to take Over the premises of Rivers State Electoral Commission and I had to come myself to find out why such a thing would happen. From what I found out from one DC Operations they brought them here to withdraw the police that were protecting this place so these officers would take over the place.”
“But, I have to say this , we’ve been taking enough nonsense from this institution (Police). Everybody is aware of the court judgement. And even the court judgement, did the ruling specify anywhere that the election should not hold? It says don’t give voter register, what are we doing with that? Police, don’t provide security, is it the same thing as blocking the election? I don’t know the relationship between the Inspector-General of Police and one person who claims he has so much power in this state. I don’t know the relationship. It is going beyond the normal professional relationship. I said the government wrote a letter with the judgement that we have and what he’s acting on, is what he called the judgement they got from the federal high court. E en if we should go by the judgement by the federal high court, did it say the election should be barred? Lifu the Justice that gave that fraudulent judgement, did he say no election? He technically say, don’t provide security. We don’t need your security. We’ll provide our own security. After all, it happened in Anambra. This election must hold. Whatever you want to do, do it. The election will hold, results will be declared and people will be sworn in. You’re not ashamed of yourself, you call yourself Inspector-General of Police. Enough is enough. I have given enough respect,” the governor declared.