The Speaker of the Rivers State House Of Assembly, Mr. Otelemaba Dan Amachree, has condemned what he called “the pettiness of centripetal forces in Governance as foisted on Rivers people by our power besotted politicians” in Abuja.
In a press statement, the Speaker drew attention to the attack on the House of Assembly complex, which is directly adjacent to the Police headquarters on Moscow Road, by over 300 thugs under the watchful eyes of Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu, the Commissioner of Police.
Mr. Mbu, the Speaker said, shut the gates of the police premises and made it impossible for a formal report to be lodged. In addition, police operatives working at the Assembly complex were ordered to stay away during the siege.
He recalled that members of the Assembly had previously alerted the state and the world of the commencement of the planned gradual collapse of security and democratic structures of the state, and also called for the transfer of Mr. Mbu.
“In recent past, Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu had ordered 250 policemen, accompanied by two armored personnel carriers to storm Isale Oyo area of Oyo state and SEALED the palace of the ASHIPA of Oyo without any court orders, embarrassing and infuriating the Inspector General Of Police, Alhaji Muhammad Abubakar,” the Speaker said. “Mr. Mbu Joseph Mbu was hurriedly transferred to Rivers State – a man with a track record of invading and desecrating constituted authorities.
“Consequent upon the above, we fear for the survival of our democratic structures, freedom to carry out our legitimate legislative duties and the safety of lives and properties in Rivers State,” he said.
Stating that there can no longer be any denial of the part of Abuja in the unfolding drama in Rivers, he warned that beyond the police, other security arms have also been briefed to join in the strangulation of Nigeria’s nascent democracy in the days to come.
“We must learn from the past violations of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria,” Mr. Amachree declared, adding, “This democracy must stand and the people of Rivers State must stand with the Rivers State Government.”
