APC Denies Ordering Police To Seal Councils

The All Progressives
    Congress (APC) in Rivers State has dismissed claims by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that APC was behind the takeover of local government secretariats in the State by the Police.
The State APC Chairman, Dr. Davies Ibiamu Ikanya, stated this in a statement issued on Sunday, in Port Harcourt, describing the accusation as “watery, baseless and without foundation.|
According to him,’’ APC as a party has nothing to do with the Police taking over the LG secretariats in Rivers State. We are not a lawless party like PDP that used the Police and other security organs to make the State virtually ungovernable during their time in power at the centre.”
Dr. Ikanya pointed out that APC has always been known as a party that respects and advocates strict adherence to the rule of law, saying there was no way it would suddenly turn around to do otherwise.
His words: “The memory of how the lawless PDP-led Federal Government under the watch of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan used the Police to harass, intimidate and hound then-Governor RotimiAmaechi and APC leaders in Rivers State remains ever fresh’’
“Having unequivocally condemned such excesses, there is no way we as a party could possibly turn around to instigate the Police under the new, law-abiding administration of President Muhammadu Buhari, to walk the path of infamy as was the case during the discredited Jonathan administration.
“In any case, even if we haboured any such thoughts, it wouldn’t have been possible to execute it under the present dispensation as the President Buhari Administration is not running a lawless government as was the case during the time of Dr. Jonathan and could not have directed the Police to embark upon any legal act’.
However the Rivers APC, while reacting to the last Thursday’s  judgement by Justice Lambo Akanbi of the Federal High Court Port Harcourt sacking the 22 LG chairmen, said that it would follow constitutionally approved judicial processes to seek justice in the matter.
While commending the Police for acting promptly to forestall the breakdown of law and order, the party called for calm while reassuring the good people of Rivers State that the mandate they gave APC to administer the LG councils would be retrieved and restored in due time.
 Meanwhile, the sacked Etche Local Govevernment Chairman , Barrister Reginald Ukwuoma, has charged the people of Etche to remain calm in the face of political challenges in the state.
Ukwuoma who stated this in a statement signed by his Press Secretary, Mr Samuel Amadi, advised the people to continue to maintain peace in the area.
He warned that no person or group of persons should scuttle the peace attained in the area as a result of any personal ambition.
The former council boss who, along with other 21 council chairmen were removed from office by a High Court judgement, last Thursday, disclosed that security agencies have been directed to deal decisively with those who want to breach the peace in the area.
He, however, commended the Nigerian Police for maintaining peace in the various councils in the state and urged them to be neutral at all times.