President of Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) Worldwide, Alaye Theophilus on Thursday urged Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun to withdraw all the Police officers deployed to all the local government council secretariats ahead of the Saturday election.
Theophilus made this known in a statement made available to Tribune Online, harped on the need for critical stakeholders to support Governor Siminilaye Fubara of River State to conduct a peaceful local government election.
While observing that periodic elections are tools and democratic processes in any liberal democracy to elect leaders from the federal to the state levels, the IYC helmsman tasked Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies particularly the Nigeria Police to collaborate with the Rivers State Government Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct peaceful, transparent and credible election without let or hindrance.
He said: “It is in compliance to this democratic tradition to allow the people elect those to govern at the grassroots that informed the decision of the Governor of Rivers State, His Excellency Siminilaye Fubara to start the processes earlier this year that will eventually culminate in the conduct of local government election, Saturday, 5th October, 2024.
“The Ijaw Youths Council (IYC) believes in democratic principles that ensure good governance in the country of which the Governor of Rivers State has demonstrated by fixing the local government election this weekend.
“This is the main thrust of council to call on INEC and the security agencies particularly the Nigeria Police to collaborate with the Rivers State Government Electoral Commission (RSIEC) to conduct peaceful, transparent and credible election without let or hindrance.
“The importance of electing chairmen and councilors to man the Local Government Councils can not be overemphasised. We are gathered here under the auspices of the IYC to brainstorm and appraise the political situation in Rivers State and to stress over 10 Governors has conducted their state LG elections peacefully, why is Rivers state own different?
“As Ijaw youths, we won’t allow any individual or groups of persons to disrupt the upcoming local government elections. We, the Ijaw people, are laying the golden egg to feed this country, and we won’t allow anyone to disrespect our humble and peaceful son, The Executive Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalaya Fubara.
“It is appalling to note that Courts of con-current jurisdictions are giving conflicting judgements to stop the conduct of Local Government Election in Rivers State which IYC consider as very unfortunate.
“As a youth body renowned for speaking against injustice and advancing the course of peace, justice and accountability, we urge the Nigeria Police which is the lead security agency in the country statutorily empowered to provide security during national and state elections to support the Rivers State Government to conduct the Local Government Election.
“We also on that same vein call on INEC to be independent and play her constitutionally given mandate of releasing all necessary information needed by RSIEC to enable them carry out a credible and not allow themselves to be used as enemy of the people and democracy.
“We advise eminent judges to be impartial while adjudicating over sensitive issues of this magnitude and avoid playing into the hands of politicians to cause chaos and confusion as no court judgement has ever stop national and state government election from holding.
“Today as a nation, we faced with multiple challenges of economic hardship, unemployment, lack of infrastructure and insecurity, and as such it is not ideal to add avoidable political situations that if not properly managed can lead to uncontrollable crisis. Which as a people we don’t want.
“While to our gallant comrades at the forefront of the fear no fear protesters, We, therefore, enjoined you not to allow yourselves to be used as agents of destabilisation to cause mayhem. We call on you people to please suspend their protest here in Rivers State to enable RSIEC to conduct a peaceful election.
“We are assuring you that after the local government election we are going to join you in our numbers to protest and derive home our demands for a better government.
“The intention of Governor Siminilaye Fubara to conduct the local government election is to ensure that governance at the grassroots take full swing in order to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people.
“It is no longer news that those opposed to the conduct of the election in Rivers State have at one point or the other appointed caretaker committees and no Inspector General Police has ever sent officers to take over the councils.
“We advise the IGP to withdraw his men from the local government secretariats in Rivers and should not interfere with the forthcoming local government election.
“The IYC urged voters in Rivers State to come out in mass to vote candidates of their choice without fear and intimidation.”
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