By; JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
The Peoples Democratic P[arty, PDP has condemned in strong terms the dismissal of six police officers attached to the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike by the Nigeria Police Force, NPF on Friday, January 6, 2017, describing their dismissal as a slap on the rule of law.
In a statement signed by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Prince Dayo Adeyeye, the party described the offense adduced for their secret trial and subsequent dismissal as a mere concoction and a ruse.
“The hurried dismissal of these police men is another valid pointer to the pre-election rigging plans and the assassination attempt on Governor Wike by the APC led administration before the December 10, 2016 Rerun Elections in Rivers State. It will be recalled that the Nigeria Police Force withdrew over 70 percent of its personnel deployed to Rivers State Government House and the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Governor few days to the Elections.
“It is obvious by this latest action that the APC led administration after the failed assassination attempt on Governor Wike, decided to punish the 6 police officers who defended their oath of office and job ethics by refusing to carry out the hatchet plans,” PDP said.
It explained that the accusation of “professional misconduct” leveled against the officers who were only performing their constitutional duties by the Police hierarchy is a slap on the rule of law, ethical responsibility of police duties and the tenets of democratic values.
“This is unfair and highly condemnable as the accused officers were not even allowed to defend themselves before they were summarily dismissed which is against basic human rights. Change administration indeed!
“This is unacceptable and the dismissed officers should be reinstated immediately in the interest of professionalism, justice, equity, and fair play. This call for their immediate re-instatement is equally in the interest of the Nigerian Police to save the bartered image of the Force. Otherwise, this action will be further understood to mean that the Police surely has something to hide but instead played to the gallary with this contraption as a cover up to their hidden agenda and the atrocities committed by some of its men during the Rerun elections,” it emphasized.
PDP pointed out that for instance, it is on record that the leader of the police Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS) in Rivers State, Mr. Akin Fakorede was seen on television with his men openly hijacking election materials and intimidating voters and INEC officials during the Rerun elections.
“In addition, it is also a well known fact that the security agencies in Rivers State during the Rerun elections threw caution to the wind and worked assiduously in favour of the Ruling Party, the All Progressive Congress (APC). These and many more unholy activities of officers and men of the Force should be of serious and great concern to a well-meaning government. But No! Governments of the APC at all levels are the pepretrators of these heinous crime against Nigeria electoral processes, citizens, and democracy within and outside.
“It is instructive to note that the PDP, other well-meaning Nigerians and members of the international community are looking forward to the actions of the Ruling Party in redressing this brazen act of unprofessionalism, electoral malpractices and other misdemeanor of the Police Force and some other security agencies in the Rivers State elections of December 10, 2016,” it said.
The party said that it believed that the Police hierarchy will take their advise seriously and reinstate the sacked officers to their various position and duty post and immediately put to trial Mr. Fakorede and his men seen committing electoral fraud in Rivers State.
