The House of Representatives Thursday resolved to mandate all relevant committees in the House to investigate an alleged assault on the Governor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose by men of the Nigerian Police, The House also condemned the alleged assault and asked President Muhammadu Buhari to request the Police to apologize to Nigerians over the incident.
Additionally, the Lawmakers urged the Chairman and members of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure that the Ekiti election is conducted in a free, fair and transparent manner.
The resolutions were a sequel to the adoption of the prayers of a motion brought under matters of urgent public importance by two members, Hon. Yusuf Tajudeen and Kingsley Chinda.
Tajudeen had in the motion noted that with just a few days to the 2018 gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, “some men of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) and other security agencies completely barricaded and took over the Ekiti State Government House, Ado Ekiti.
“Also noted that heavily armed Policemen and other security agencies locked up, all entry points, prevented the free movement of people into and out of the Ekiti Government House and shot sporadically with the aim to instill fear in the people, ahead of the forthcoming gubernatorial elections.”
Aware that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in line with its statutory mandate had fixed the 2018 gubernatorial elections in Ekiti State for Saturday 14th July 2018.
Also aware that the Nigerian Police is empowered under S.4 of the Police Act, Cap. P19, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, among other things, for the prevention and detection of crime, the apprehension of offenders, the preservation of law and order, the protection of life and property and the due‘ enforcement of all laws and regulations with Which they are directly charged.
Tajudeen said Nigeria is a democratic State and the complete take over and barricade of the Ekiti State Government House and violent assault on armless civilians, including a serving Governor of the State, does not fall within the contemplation of the general duties of the Police-under 8.4 of the Police Act “and indeed the tenets of true democracy and the Rule of Law. ”
He expressed concern that what is playing out in Ekiti State “clearly portends great danger for us all, particularly in View of the 2019 general elections and the heightened insecurity in the country.
“The said action of the Police is clearly an illegality and constitutional breach which must not happen or continue in a constitutional democracy,” adding that “democracy would be heading for total failure.”
When the Speaker of the House, Hon. Yakubu Dogara called for a vote in the motion, it was passed and referred to the relevant committees which were given 4 weeks to report back to the House for further legislative action. With The Nation
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