The South South headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has frowned at last Wednesday’s harassment and tear gassing of some of its chieftain and candidates from Rivers state stating that the development was draconian and therefore unacceptable.
The party however demanded an apology from the police personnel or be sanctioned by the police authorities to serve as a deterrent to others who may want to continue in that stead.
National Vice Chairman,south south of the party, Prince Hilliard Eta in a statement issued by his media aide, Bassey Ita , and made available To PUO REPORTS said that the
party will not accept such overzealous and draconian tendencies by security personnel, especially now that the new dispensation has declared an intolerable position against corruption and lawlessness of whatever dimension.
The statement reads in part; ‘’The South South office of the All Progressives Congress[APC] considers as draconian and coming from overzealous minds, last Wednesday’s visit of assault occasioned by the tear-gassing of some very revered and responsible party leaders and candidates from Rivers state who were at the INEC headquarters to albeit peacefully launch a protest against the heavily compromised and dissident Resident Electoral Commissioner[REC] for Rivers state, Mrs.
Gesila Khan who has defied orders of a constitutionally mandated court to produce electoral materials to the APC candidates to aid the quick dispensation of justice, following petitions arising from the abysmal conduct of the general elections of March 28 and April 11 in Rivers state this year.”
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According to it,’’ much as the APC government at the centre has indicated its commitment to the rule of law and of due process in all public engagements, as a party we are completely averse to such show of overzealousness by our security operatives who are naturally supposed to be protecting lives and properties of Nigerians’’
‘’It is already public knowledge that the personnel would feign protection of the INEC headquarters in the face of alleged looming danger occasioned by the peaceful protest, but pointedly, they forget
that the party leaders have at various times held positions of responsibility and have a rich reputation that their involvement in violence would never be contemplated. Armed with this reality, it
becomes expedient to state that the security operatives only rushed into a conclusion that was driven by overzealousness and which is far away from the story of protecting the INEC office.’’
The party demanded an apology from the security operatives to their unsuspecting victims while also urging the Police High Command to ensure that the affected personnel yield to the party’s demand or be sanctioned accordingly.
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It also urged the INEC Acting Chairman, Mrs. Amina Zakari to further assert her authority as the head of the electoral body by ordering the REC to respect court decisions, especially as it pertains to the ongoing litigations over the polls in Rivers state.
The statement which observed that such fragrant violation of court orders by supposed impartial personnel like INEC officials was a dangerous precedent for our democracy however urged that judges should be more drastic in enforcing their orders on litigants so as to guarantee the protection of the electoral rights and values of
Nigerians.
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