MEMBERS of Rivers State House of Assembly, which had adjourned sina die, are compelled by the serial political crises rocking the state to reconvene Monday just as the Police continue to siege to Obio-Akpor Local Government Council secretariat.
Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Dakuku Peterside, said the deployment of the Police to the council is a frank display of poor sense of judgment and flawed articulation of application of federal power.
Leader of the state legislature, Chidi Lloyd, revealed Saturday in Port Harcourt that lawmakers who through the speaker, Otelemaba Dan Amachree, on Friday called on the Inspector General of Police to redeploy Rivers State Commissioner of Police Rivers State, Mr. Mbu J. Mbu, will meet Monday to deliberate on pressing issues affecting the state.
Lloyd, who described the Police excuse that it stormed Obio-Akpor secretariat to protect life and property, as laughable, wondered why the Rumuodumaya Divisional Police Officer who he accused of acting a script asked the caretaker committee of the council to vacate office.
He said those bent on plunging the state into precarious political situation, are not merely after Chibuike Amaechi but want to gain unfretted access to power to enable them plunder the resources of the state, which the governor has refused to waste on them.
When The Guardian visited the Obio-Akpor secretariat, two police van blocked the main entrance while four others, including that of anti-terrorist squad, were parked inside the secretariat complex.
One of the policemen who spoke on ground of anonymity said they would remain at the council until they get directives from the state command to leave.
The Speaker of the State Assembly, Amachree, has raised alarm that the democratic structures of the state are systematically collapsed with the intention of preparing for the declaration of a state of emergency in Rivers.
Reacting to the situation, Dakuku said the Police siege at Obio-Akpor makes it difficult for the Presidency to exonerate itself from the unfolding drama.
The Guardian
Let them just settle whatever rift and end it once and for all. It really makes no sense I must say. They have to forge ahead