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| President Goodluck Jonathan |
“We wish to unequivocally state our
resolve to work with all democrats in the country to ensure adequate
protection of democratic governance.’’
The statement was signed by Borno
State Governor, Kashim Shetima; Edo State Governor, Adams Oshiomhole;
Ekiti State Governor, Kayode Fayemi; Imo State Governor, Rochas
Okorocha; Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashola; Nasarawa State
Governor, Tanko Almakura; Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun; Osun
State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola; Oyo State Governor, Abiola
Ajimobi; Yobe State Governor, Ibrahim
Geldam; and Zamfara State Governor, Abdulaziz Abubakar Yari. The
governors’ statement came just as some Nigerians condemned the action
of the police authorities in Rivers and the police insisted that they
did not bar the governor from accessing Government House.
The governors said they received the
news of the blockade with shock and disbelief, adding that crisis in
Rivers since July 2013 constituted a major threat to the nation’s
democracy.
They added that the situation in Rivers
State was unfortunate and that all Nigerians must call on the Federal
Government and all its agencies, including all arms of the security
services, to respect the letter and spirit of the 1999 Nigerian
Constitution.
They said, “In the specific case of
Rivers State, provisions of Section 215(4) of the 1999 Constitution
must be fully respected. This section provides that the Governor “may
give to the Commissioner of Police of that state such lawful
directions with respect to the maintenance and security of public
safety and public order within the state as he may consider necessary,
and the Commissioner of Police shall comply with those directions or
cause them to be complied with.’’
The governors noted that the
inability of the federal Authorities to exercise all the necessary
constitutional and moral authority to ensure the speedy resolution of
the crisis had remained a source of danger for the nation’s
democracy , the life of Amaechi and those of other public officers
serving in the state.
The governors said the police action
was a bad precedent and wondered if it was a signal that a similar
blockade could be mounted against the President at the Presidential
Villa. The police had on Thursday stopped Amaechi from using the gate to
gain entrance into the Government House. The governor was in company
with 102 former speakers of state Houses of Assembly when a team of
policemen allegedly drafted by the State Police Commissioner, Mr.
Joseph Mbu, blocked the Forces Avenue which leads to the governor’s
house in the Government House.
The ex-Speakers were in the state
capital for a meeting and had gone on an inspection tour after paying a
courtesy visit to the governor. Reacting, the New Peoples Democratic
Party said what happened in Rivers State was a sign that the country
was returning to the dark days of the former Head of State, Gen. Sani
Abacha.
A statement signed by the National
Publicity Secretary of the faction, Chief Chukwuemeka Eze, in Abuja on
Friday, said many events in the country had shown that democracy was
not being allowed to thrive.
“Indeed, General Sani Abacha must be
lamenting in his grave that Nigerians wrongly abused him considering
the high degree of impunities being encouraged in a democratic set up,
with the Police being used as a tool to haunt political opponents,”
the faction said.
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