G7 govs: Reps summon IG over police harassment

[Mirror]

The House of Representatives yesterday summoned the Inspector- General of Police, Mr. Mohammed Abubakar, over the continued harassment of governors of Borno, Adamawa, Jigawa, Niger, Kwara, Rivers and Sokoto states, otherwise known as the G7.

The summons followed the adoption of a motion entitled: "Impunity and disregard to the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as amended) by the Nigeria Police Force."

The motion was sponsored by Hon. Idris Kutigi (PDP-Niger) and 60 others. While reading his motion, Kutigi regretted an incident where members of the G-7 opposed to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, led by Alhaji Bamanga Tukur, were dispersed by the police allegedly on the orders from the President.

"On Sunday, November 3, 2013 when the G-7 Governors and members of the National Assembly were holding a meeting at the Kano State Government Lodge, Asokoro, the Divisional Police Officer, Asokoro Division, stormed the lodge midway into the meeting with instruction from the Villa to disperse or arrest the governors if they refuse to stop the meeting," Kutigi said.

The lawmaker said he was disturbed by the continued impunity and disregard for the constituted authority by the police, adding that the Sunday meeting was convened to fashion out a lasting solution to the lingering crises in the party.

He said: "I note with concern the action of the Nigeria Police Force, which violated the provision of the constitution of Nigeria 1999 (as amended), specifically sections 40 and 308(1) (a) and (3). "As members of the House of Representatives of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, we swore to defend and protect the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999.

"I am disturbed by the continued impunity and disregard for the constituted authority by the men and officers of the Nigerian Police Force. Police authorities have in recent times disrupted several meetings of these governors by sealing the meeting venues.

"A police officer of the rank of chief superintendent of police, CSP, boldly attempted to arrest and disrupt the meeting of the G-7 Governors in disregard of their constitutional immunity in Section 308 of the 1999 constitution.

"I am alarmed at the way and manner the police treat elected representatives of Nigerians, amounting to a total disregard for the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. "If the rights and privileges of these governors and members of the National Assembly can be so threatened, then an ordinary man in Nigeria has no hope and confidence in the Nigerian Police Force.

"I therefore prayed the House to condemn in strongest term the actions of the Nigeria Police Force, mandate the Committee on Police Affairs to invite the Inspector- General of Police to ascertain the circumstances leading to the invasion of the Kano State Governor's Lodge by the men and officers of the Nigeria Police Force under the command of a Divisional Police Officer, DPO, and report back to the House within two weeks."

The prayers of the motion, which went without a debate, were adopted by the House, presided over by Deputy Speaker, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha. Meanwhile, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress, APC, who stormed Port Harcourt yesterday, has extended invitation to Rivers State Governor Amaechi to join the party.

This was even as overzealous policemen locked out Amaechi's supporters at the Port Harcourt International Airport.

This forced the governor to drive to the airport gate and trekked for about four kilometres with his supporters to the airport terminal. The APC chieftains on the visit were the former Head of State, Gen. MuhammaduBuhari (rtd); the Acting Chairman, Chief BisiAkande; its Deputy National Chairman (South-South), Chief Tom Ikimi; former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; former Governor of Edo State, Chief John Odigie- Oyegun; former Speaker, House of Representatives, AminuMasari and former ACN National Youth Leader, MirikiEbikibina.

Others were the National Organising Secretary, Senator OsitaIzunaso; the Treasurer, Sadak Farouk; the Deputy National Auditor, Capt. Jubril and the Minority Leader of the party at the Senate, George Akume.

The APC chieftains arrived at the Port Harcourt International Airport at 9.05 a.m. in a chartered plane and immediately proceeded to the Model Primary School at Eleme, where the host governor took them round on an inspection of the school project.

They later visited the adjoining Eleme Primary Health Centre and inspected the facilities.

At the school, Amaechi told his visitors that his administration had completed and furnished 300 primary schools and had also finished and furnished seven comprehensive secondary schools at N5bn per unit. He explained that the schools contained modern and world class facilities.

The group later proceeded to the Government House where they addressed thousands of supporters of the party and the people of the state who had been waiting for their arrival.

Just before the arrival of the party chieftains, there was a mild drama at the airport gate as Amaechi, who had earlier arrived the airport, gathered that his supporters had been locked out of the premises. He drove to the gate and together with his supporters forced the gate open before the people could gain entrance to the main airport area.

Tinubu set the tone of the visit when he described the Amaechi as a courageous and progressive leader, who was being victimised because he was fighting for the cause of the people of the state. He said that the governor's courage endeared him to the leadership of APC, hence its resolve to visit the state to "see, seek and invite."

Tinubu also explained the reason for the postponement of the visit initially planned for Monday.

"As for yesterday's postponement, we were ready for the visit, you people were ready to receive us, but the airspace was blocked.

"Because we did not want to offend anybody, we did not want to undertake the visit in a confused atmosphere and you still came in your thousands to welcome us. "We are here to see, seek and invite. I have known RotimiAmaechi as a progressive and visionary leader, ever since he was the Speaker of Rivers House of Assembly.

"He has brought about a lot of positive changes to our constitution as the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors' Forum, NGF. We know he is focused and he couldn't have been elected as the governor of this great state without the support of the people of the state, despite all the stories in the media to the contrary," Tinubu said. Buhari said the party had targeted some governors, who it believed would make the desired impact in the lives of Nigerians. He added that the country was at a crossroads at the moment and that the 2015 general elections would be another watershed in the history of the country.

"The leadership of the APC decided to target some governors who we feel should make the difference in the lives of Nigerians. "We are at a crossroads, 2015 is going to be another watershed in the history of Nigeria. Amaechi is a rare breed, we decided to come together to save this country.

We must acquire the capacity as a people to organise ourselves effectively," he said. Amaechi took a swipe at those he accused of trying to grab the state's treasury. He described some of his critics as being corrupt and morally bankrupt. He explained the reason for his unusual display of enthusiasm at the burial of the First Lady's mother at Okrika town on Saturday. He said: "You will wonder why I was dancing at the burial. I can tell you why.

They need to know that when you have God behind you, there is nobody in your front. We have been hearing we will remove him, we will remove him since 2007. Have I been removed? "They talk as if they own the court.

They said we will be removed on November 11? That day I will dance here to the glory of God because if I tell you that I am not happy with your presence, I will be lying. "The second reason I danced at the burial was that I was told I will be stoned at Okrika.

I went there and raised my hand to the crowd and they shouted. I raised my left hand and they screamed. I said Lord, I glorify you. "Now we will say just three things to our visitors. First, I thank God for the opportunity to govern Rivers State.

Those who are on the other side, the majority of them are corrupt and I will call their names one by one. "One of them got a N17bn contract from the Ministry of the Niger Delta to do a road from Eleme to Imo River, but is there any road from Eleme to Imo River? He opened his mouth and said I got N1.9trn.

"What they do is that every time they get contract from NDDC or they get contract from anywhere, they go and build hotels. We are replying them one after the other. "I have made a commitment and the commitment is that they have served, they are now hungry, the money they got from government is finished, they are now hungry.

They are now desperate; we must stop them, as for me, I am through. "I have told you that all I do is kneel down and ask God to save me from these evil men and women and by His grace, I am being protected.

"They are so desperate that they have gone to hire Mbu (Rivers State Police Commissioner) as the military wing of PDP in Rivers State. That shows the desperation. "We must go now when we leave here and begin to mobilise our people to prepare ourselves from now to the election to confront the police.

When you hear impunity, impunity, it's because you allow it. Okay, Amaechi is courageous; Amaechi is courageous because I take the risk. "If you sit in your house and you don't take the risk, are you courageous? All of you must get ready. Young boys and young girls must get ready any day we say come out, you come out and march, we will continue to march and make sure we stop them.

"There is no revolution without blood. The only revolution without blood is reform. That is what you must know. So to control our wealth, let's be ready for the police. "To our guest, we have heard you. We are a group of seven governors. I am peculiar in that group of seven.

Let me tell you why I am peculiar. The President comes from our zone. I will consult our leaders. I will consult Rivers youths. I will consult the President and consult all 'consultables' and I will get back to you. The only thing is that I will take a decision whether for or against at the Liberation Stadium.

"That stadium has capacity for 40, 000 people. We will want that stadium to be filled. If we are staying, we will call the President to come and address us. If we are going, we will call Tinubu and Buhari to come and address us and you will be addressing 40, 000 people in that stadium.

"From now, we will be testing out strength and please don't go and sleep, put your knees on the ground all the time and pray. "They don't accuse me of corruption, what they accuse me of is that I don't run an inclusive government. An inclusive government that is chop I chop or sharing of money."