Bipi Hails Ban On Political Rallies

T

he lawmaker represent
ing Ogu/Bolo Constituency in the Rivers State House of Assembly, Hon Evans Bipi says the ban on political rallies by the state police command is in the overall interest of Rivers people.

Bipi, who made the assertion Tuesday,  in  a chat with newsmen at the Port Harcourt International Airport, Omagwa, said it was to check the ongoing political rivalry in the state.

He explained that the ban would help to avoid what he described as some unnecessary and unhealthy confrontation that would not be in the interest of the people of the state and advised all stakeholders, particularly politicians, to observe the ban.

On whether it was a ploy to sabotage a political organisation, the lawmaker said: “I do not see the ban of political rally by the police as sabotage, it is another way of checking the rivalry in the state”.

According to him, “the Commissioner of Police on his own cannot ban political rally, it is a directive  from the Inspector General of Police. What police adhere to is order and directive from superior authority, so Mr Mbu Joseph Mbu merely took orders from his boss, the IG”.

Bipi noted that the directive was in compliance with the Police Act  and regulation guiding the performance of their duties which is to prevent, protect  and secure lives and property of the citizenry.

“I accept police decision to ban political rally in the state since it falls in line with the performance of their professional duty and it is a way of stopping the political crisis”, the lawmaker said.

Debunking insinuations that the police has been  protecting the Grassroot Development Initiative (GDI) and antagonising Save Rivers Movement (SRM), Bipi hinted that police had stopped GDI rallies in Ogu/Bolo and other areas before.

The lawmaker remarked that the implication of the ban is for anyone planning a rally to apply for approval from the police, adding that such application does not negate the freedom of assembly and association of citizens.