PRESIDENT Bola Tinubu has directed the Nigeria Police Force to secure local government secretariats in Rivers State to prevent further attacks on them by arsonists and hoodlums.
The directive followed the attacks on Eleme and Ikwerre local government areas shortly after the results of the local government election conducted in the state on Saturday, October 5, were announced.
The President’s spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, in a statement on Monday, October 7, noted that Tinubu expressed deep concern over reports of arson and explosions in the state.
“In response to recent tensions following last Saturday’s local government council election, the President expressed deep concern over reports of arson and explosions in the state,” Onanuga said.
In addition to the two local governments attacked, gunshots were fired sporadically in Ahoada East during the unrest.
The arson and gunshots followed the withdrawal of the police officers that had laid siege on the 23 council secretariats by the police authorities.
The Rivers State Police spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, in a statement, stated that the decision to withdraw the officers aligned with the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to neutrality and the smooth functioning of democratic institutions.
Meanwhile, with the attacks on the secretariats, Tinubu called on all political stakeholders to de-escalate tensions and urge their supporters to refrain from violent or destructive behaviour.
“President Tinubu directed the police to restore and maintain peace, law, and order immediately.
“While instructing law enforcement agencies to bring the situation under control, he emphasised the need to ensure the security of public institutions.
“President Tinubu said government facilities built with public funds must be safeguarded from vandalism,” the statement added.
The President stressed that the judiciary could settle all political disputes, and the outcome of the local government election in the state should be no exception.
The ICIR reported on Sunday, October 6, that the state Governor Siminalayi Fubara swore in all the newly-elected 23 local government chairmen shortly after the (Rivers) State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) announced the election results for the last local government.
The ICIR further reported how the African People’s Party (APP) won 22 out of the 23 local government chairmanship seats in the state according to results announced by RSEIC.
Fubara’s preferred candidates were victorious in the poll marred by controversies and security challenges.
Fubara also won the election for an opposition party, as he has yet to decamp from his party – the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
Fubara and his predecessor who helped him to power, Nyesom Wike, have been at loggerheads over who controls the PDP structure in the state, with President Bola Tinubu’s efforts to resolve the stalemate yielding no result.
Wike is the current Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), serving in the All Progressives Congress (APC) government led by Tinubu.
He has yet to dump the PDP, even though several party stalwarts claims he works against the party’s interest.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M