Rivers State State Governor, Siminalayi Fubara, said the state would hold the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, responsible should there be a breakdown of law and order.
This is sequel to the proposed local government elections on Saturday where the camp of the Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, and Fubara and his supporters have been at loggerheads.
The governor expressed concern why Wike’s camp which earlier called on the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct the local council polls now opposes it.
Fubara described them as enemies of the state who want the local government workers to starve and suffer after the expiration of the Federal Government Supreme Court judgment which ordered all states to end the Caretaker Committee Chairmen system before October 15, 2024.
The governor urged the IGP to be careful of his actions and decisions about the state, noting that the world is watching.
Earlier, Police spokesperson SP Grace Iringe-Koko, said the police are compelled to comply with a Federal High Court judgment delivered on September 30, 2024.
She said the judgment prohibits the Nigeria Police Force from participating in or providing security for the election.
However, speaking with journalists in Port Harcourt on Friday, Fubara said, the police has made itself an enemy of the state, stating that no court in the country could give the police an order to be enemy to Rivers State.
The Governor said, “Nigeria police I don’t need to invite you, your responsibility is to maintain law and order. There is no court in this country that I know that will give you the order to be an enemy to the State so I’m surprised that you have decided to be an enemy to Rivers State.
“What is the special thing about this issue of taking over the premises? If we should go by what they claim they have a court order, the court ruling said don’t give RSIEC voters register, don’t give RSIEC police protection.
“Did the judgement say to seal the premises, don’t allow them to conduct an election? However, the Rivers State Government and RSIEC itself also had a judgement that states clearly, ‘conduct the election with the voters’ register of 2023.
“The Police, DSS, Nigerian Army, and other sister agencies should provide security. I might not be a lawyer but I understand clearly that when it comes to issue of judgment there is something they call first in time.
“So what is this special interest about the Festival of High Court judgment? Secondly, why are they looking for a way to stampede this state?
“I am saying this here so that the IGP should be aware and just to know that any act against the State that will bring the situation of lawlessness in this State, I think at the end of the day he(IGP) should be prepared to take responsibility.
“Why is the case of Rivers State different? Is that the law or the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria when it comes to Rivers State it’s interpreted in a different way.”
The governor maintained that the election must be held on Saturday as scheduled and urged the people to work for the success of the polls.
Fubara, however, revealed that the state is not perturbed by the withdrawal of the police from the election, saying other security agencies will be on the ground to maintain peace and order during the polls on Saturday.
He urged electorates to come out en masse to vote.
