The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Akwa Ibom State has said that the “attempt by the APC to use security forces to convert their political minuses to an advantage is the surest means of instigating crises in Nigeria’s most peaceful state, Akwa Ibom State.”
A press statement by the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Comrade Ini Ememobong, said “News footage of the complaints by the National Chairman of the APC Comrade Adams Oshiomhole against the recently posted Commissioner of Police to Akwa Ibom, CP J. Abang hit the airwaves yesterday. We learnt that consequent to that ill informed outburst, the redeployment of the CP was announced and the posting of another Commissioner effected.”
“The new Commissioner of Police, we learnt is under strict instructions to aid the APC to either return the sacked law makers to the Assembly or shut down the assembly and prevent her from holding their sittings. The former CP was accused by the APC chairman of aiding and abetting the PDP, but Comrade Oshiomhole, from the footage available, is obviously ignorant of the existing court order contained in the judgment delivered in a suit where the Speaker of the House of Assembly was a respondent, or may not be aware of the self activating capacity of section 109(1) and )(2) which are the foundation upon which the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly acted to declare vacant the seats of the erring lawmakers.”
“We hereby advice the new Commissioner of Police to note and understand that he is not and cannot become a court of law. The police has a duty of maintaining law and order. The judgement of the Federal High Court sitting in Uyo is extant and must be obeyed, alongside the constitutional provision applicable in the circumstance. The police should never become the security arm of a political party, it should remain the protector of the citizens and residents of the country,” the statement concluded.
