The Police Service Commission, PSC, has said that it has started a full -scale investigations into the activities of the Rivers State Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu and all the policemen said to have involved themselves in the political crises in the state. Chairman of the PSC, Chief Mike Okiro made this known in Lagos yesterday. Okiro spoke at a ceremony marking the commissioning of an estate built for policemenby President Goodluck Jonathan as the Archbishop Emeritus of Catholic Archdiocese ofLagos, His Eminence Anthony Cardinal Okogie, expressed disgust over the dishonourable happenings in Rivers State urging the political gladiators to tread softly to avoid truncating the current democratic dispensation. Mbu and Amaechi In a statement, the Prelate took a swipe at the members of the Rivers State House of Assembly for turning the hallowed chambers into a battlefield, saying such act was unexpected of their personalities. However, 26 members of the Rivers State House of Assembly, have warned a member of the House, Evans Bapakaye to stop impersonating the Speaker of the House, Hon Otelemaba Amachree saying that, ‘’at no time was the Speaker impeached.’’ This was contained in a statement they signed as an account of what happened in the House penultimate Tuesday. Their reaction followed what they described asa plethora of publications by Bapakaye, claiming to be the speaker of the house. Okiro said that the PSC had received all the petitions forwrded to it by Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi on the activities of Police Commissioner Mbu but added, ‘’however, that the principle of fundamental human rights demand that an accused person should be given a fair hearing. I have directed the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Mohammed Abubakar, to investigate the matter and once he is found wanting he will be dealt with accordingly.” Amaechi had petitioned the PSC against Commissioner Mbu following his alleged poor handling of security matters involving those allegedly being backed by the presidency against his government. Copies of the petition were also sent to President Jonathan, the IGP, and principal officers of the National Assembly among others. Okiro further said that Amaechi raised various allegations against Mbu, part of which included gross abuse of power He described the recent fracas involving members of the Rivers State House of Assembly as quite unfortunate but added that the public should allow the police to do its investigations to ensure that justice was done to the parties involved in the dispute. Also, the Police Affairs Minister, Capt Caleb Olukolade, rtd, spoke in the same vein insistingthat the authorities were still investigating thematter. The Minister who asked the public to await theresult of the investigations however, remarkedthat it was not part of his duties to speak on such issues, but added that investigations into the matter was on-going. He said, “The Chairman Police Service Commission is in a better position to commenton it. Everything falls within his purview. The force has a way of dealing with an issue internally. The public should allow the force to investigate the matter. However, I have asked the Chairman Police Service Commission to look into the matter.” Apart from Amaechi’s petition, there had been mass demand for the removal of Mbu following his alleged involvement in the crisis rocking the State House of Assembly. Meanwhile, Okojie stated, “I condemn in strong terms the crisis in the Rivers State House of Assembly. More importantly, it is very disappointing to see our so-called ‘Honourables’ exchanging blows like gangsters. Such an act, if not checkmated quickly, is an invitation to terrorism and gangsterism. I want to call on every right thinking Nigerian to rise up and speak against such unruly conduct by men who are supposed to be making laws for our land. ”It is obvious that what is playing out in RiversState is a fall-out of the crisis between President Goodluck Jonathan and Governor Rotimi Amaechi. It is unfortunate that the lawmakers who are expected to be men and women of integrity have allowed themselves to be used as pawns. They are supposed to be masses-oriented, instead, they only go there toserve their personal interests. It is not done. “The legislators must quickly call themselves to order. They must refrain from showing bad examples to Nigerians. All those found culpablein the whole mess should be punished or face the wrath of the law,.’’ 26 members warn Evans Bipi The 26 members of the assembly stated, “The attention of the Rivers State House of Assemblyhas been drawn to the plethora of stories and conjectures that have constituted the bulk analysis at the public domain on the crisis of Tuesday 9th of July, 2013… the House leadership received a communication from theExecutive to amend the Rivers State Appropriation Law 2013. Sequel to this, the House reconvened on the July 9, 2013.
Posted on: Sat, 20 Jul 2013 04:44:53 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015