The Rivers State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has called for urgent intervention to prevent the state government from disobeying court rulings, which they fear could lead to lawlessness.
The state chairman of the PDP, Aaron Chukwuemeka, made this appeal on Thursday, after delivering protest letters to security agencies in the state.
PDP members in Rivers State, loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Nyesom Wike, and members of the All Progressives Congress loyal to Tony Okocha, staged a protest demanding the suspension of the local government council elections scheduled for October 5, 2024.
The protesters gathered at the PDP state secretariat on Aba Road before marching to the offices of the Department of State Services, DSS, and the Rivers State Police Command Headquarters to express their concerns.
Chukwuemeka warned that if security agencies fail to act, the PDP will ensure that the elections do not take place, emphasizing the party’s commitment to maintaining peace and upholding the rule of law.
He said, “We are here to submit a petition to you from the Peoples Democratic Party, Rivers State ably led by my humble self, the state chairman of our great party, Hon, Aaron Chukwuemeka.
“And attached to this letter is an order of court, Federal High Court, a judgement of Federal High Court on 30 September, 2023.
“In that order, it was expressly stated that RSIEC should not go ahead with the election. In that same judgement, INEC should not give them voter register, and then, the security agencies were told not to participate in that election.
“And as law abiding citizens, we believe in justice and equity, we believe in rule of law. And that is why we came to you, to tell you that, that election, the governor, the RSIEC, should obey that judgment.
“No man is bigger than the law. We as a party, we are not going to participate. And then if they go ahead to do that election, and that becomes crisis, we as PDP, we will not fold our hands.
“And that is why we are begging the security agencies to stop them from conducting that election.”
Addressing the protesters, the State Commissioner of Police, Olatunji Disu, who was represented by Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operation, Adepoju Olugbenga, assured the the protesters that their letter would be delivered to the appropriate authorities.
