*Police says they learnt about court reinstatement of Speaker on social media
By; BUHARI B. BELLO, Jos
The Plateau State Police Command, CP .Bartholomew N. Onyeka scheduled meetings with the two factional Speakers ended in deadlock as he warned against breakdown of law and order.
Onyeka who disclosed this during a press briefing held at the command’s headquarters in Jos, sued for calm, urging the citizens to go about their lawful businesses with fear.
“The command got the wind of the information of the judgment entered in favour of Rt. Hon. Ayuba Nuhu Abok, reinstated as the Speaker of the 9th Assembly after his impeachment saga that lasted two and a half years.
Ayuba Abok approached the state High Court seeking the interpretation of his unlawful impeachment as the Speaker after defecting to PDP, he explained that the command played a neutral role in trying to calm situation, not to allow it aggravate into tension.”
Bartholomew stressed that the team of lawyers advised them to swiftly prevent the breakdown of law and order because as the chief security saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives and property of citizens, which is enshrined in the constitution of 1999 as amended Section 214 and the Police Act 4 reveals that the police are there to safeguard lives of all Nigerians.
According to him, the presence of security agencies sealing the Assembly complex was not targeted at anybody, but to ensure peace and order in the state.
He vowed that they can’t allow the state under the atmosphere of crisis by the state Assembly members, turning the complex into a boxing ring, but to secure the environment and give chance to legislative business to thrive.
Bartholomew Onyeka said that he is not a politician and they are not partisan to political activities, but appeal to traditional rulers, religious, community and women leaders to avoid sensational comments that can plunge the state into fresh crisis or used by individuals for their selfish ambitions to create conflict.
“We can’t allow the State Assembly members under Section 214 as enshrined, result to violence, but let them settle their differences without rancour,” he said.
According to him, “However, the scheduled meeting ended in deadlock because stakeholders refused to honour the invitation of the Nigeria Police Force so we warn them to stay clear of the Assembly complex, pending the resolution of the crisis,” he warned.
The CP emphasized that after the sealing of the complex, some people were still invading the place, so they can’t allow such disgruntled elements to besiege the Assembly and they got to know about the judgment through the social media.
He added that how the former Speaker Rt. Hon.Ayuba Abok ran to the state Assembly to start snapping pictures and posting them through WhatsApp, Facebook was what attracted the police attention to prevent uncertainty.
