Rivers State Police Command to Abide by Federal Court Ruling on Local Government Elections
The Rivers State Police Command has announced its commitment to fully adhere to the Federal High Court’s ruling from Abuja, which prohibits its involvement in the local government elections scheduled for October 5, 2024. This announcement follows protests by members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), led by state chairman Aaron Chukwuemeka, who demanded that the police respect the court’s order and refrain from participating in the electoral process.
The PDP supporters marched to the headquarters of the Department of State Services and the State Police Command in Port Harcourt, submitting a petition alongside the court judgment to both agencies. In response to the growing concerns, police spokesperson Grace Iringe-Koko confirmed that the force would comply with the ruling but emphasized that this compliance does not imply a lack of vigilance against potential security threats.
In a statement released on Thursday, Superintendent Iringe-Koko outlined the police command’s position, referencing directives from the Force Legal Department regarding the significance of the Federal High Court’s ruling on September 30, 2024.
The police statement explained, “The Nigeria Police Force wishes to inform all law-abiding citizens and stakeholders in Rivers State about the upcoming local government election, particularly concerning recent court decisions. On July 19, 2024, the Federal High Court in Abuja issued an order barring the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies from involvement in the local government elections. Furthermore, another ruling on September 30, 2024, reiterated this prohibition.”
Iringe-Koko noted that, given these judicial orders, the police have been instructed by their legal department to observe the ruling from September 30, 2024. She also acknowledged the recent protests by opposition party members, who urged adherence to the court’s decisions and highlighted their commitment to ensuring the law is followed.
The statement further indicated, “The Nigeria Police Force encourages any party feeling aggrieved by decisions or actions during the electoral process to pursue proper legal channels. We are committed to maintaining law and order and will take necessary measures to prevent disturbances.”
To ensure compliance with the court’s directives, area commanders, divisional police officers, and tactical commanders have been directed to enforce the ruling effectively.
In light of these developments, the police urged all citizens to remain calm and cooperate with law enforcement to uphold the rule of law during this critical period in the electoral process. The statement concluded with an appeal for all security agencies to also respect the Federal High Court’s judgment as the state approaches the elections.
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