The National Working Committee (NWC) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has issued a stern warning to the Police, urging them not to derail the democratic process in Rivers State. The party’s message comes as the state prepares for local government elections scheduled for tomorrow.
In a statement released in Abuja by the PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the party emphasized the importance of asserting the sovereignty and constitutional rights of the people of Rivers State by participating in the electoral process. This call for participation contrasts sharply with some party members in the state who have called for a boycott of the elections.
Ologunagba stated, “The PDP insists that the right to civil control of democratic activities in Rivers State belongs to the generality of the people of the state. Such rights, including participation in local government elections, cannot be abridged or appropriated by any person, group, or organization under any guise whatsoever.”
He underscored that both the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission (RSIEC) and the people are ready for the elections, highlighting that no court has the power to halt the electoral process as per the Electoral Act 2022. Ologunagba referred specifically to Section 84(15) of the Act, which prohibits courts from stopping elections pending the resolution of a suit.
The PDP strongly condemned what it described as attempts by the APC-controlled Police to undermine the electoral process, including reports of police invasions of RSIEC facilities aimed at frustrating the elections. Ologunagba characterized these actions as “a direct affront to democracy and the Rule of Law.”
He reiterated that the people of Rivers State are peaceful and law-abiding, emphasizing their determination to express their will at the polls. The PDP urged the Nigerian public and the international community to hold the APC and the Inspector General of Police accountable for any breakdown of law and order during the elections.
Finally, Ologunagba called on the Inspector General of Police to fulfill his constitutional duty by providing a secure environment for the smooth conduct of the elections, regardless of personal affiliations.