Politicisation of security agencies, greatest threat to democracy, say Clark, Dickson

Elderstatesman and former Federal Commissioner, Chief Edwin Clark and the Bayelsa State Governor, Henry Seriake Dickson, yesterday, raised the alarm over increasing abuse of security agencies by the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government.

The two observed that the politicisation of security, especially that of the police in recent times is a threat to the nation’s democracy ahead of the 2019 general elections.

Both Clark and Seriake spoke with journalists in Abuja, shortly after the elder statesman paid the governor a condolence visit on the death of his mother, Ma Goldcoast Dickson.

Dickson, who noted that Nigerians were deeply worried about the conduct of the security agencies across in the country, said that the security agencies were disturbingly metamorphosing into an extension of the ruling party APC ahead of the 2019 general elections.

He condemned the recent assassination attempt on the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, and the police invasion of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly.

According to him, the recent posting of eight police commissioners to Bayelsa State within a shockingly short period of three months only showed a sinister plot to destabilise the peace, security and stability of the state.

The governor who called on the relevant authorities and the security agencies to conduct themselves in a way that would promote the nation’s democracy rather than putting it in jeopardy, said: “We are all concerned about the conduct of security agencies ahead of the 2019 general elections. In fact, all lovers of Nigeria and democracy are concerned about the conduct of the security agencies.

“The agencies have become an extension of the ruling party, which should not be. The abuse of the security forces constitutes a threat to the security, democracy and stability of the country.

“I condemn the recent assassination attempt on the life of the Deputy Senate President, Prof. Ike Ekweremadu. It is totally reprehensible.

“I also condemn the invasion of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly. It was a desecration of the democratic order.

“In Bayelsa, we have had no fewer than eight police commissioners in the last three months. It won’t take you long to know that there is a sinister game going on to destabilize and create instability in the state that we have worked so hard to stabilise. We urge the security agencies to conduct themselves in a way that would stabilise democracy.”