Thugs Engage Police in Street Battle in Bayelsa

 Street Battle in Bayelsa

By Segun James in Yenagoa

Hell was let loose in the streets of Yenagoa, the Bayelsa state capital, as suspected political thugs engaged men of the Nigeria Police Force in an all-out battle at the state secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during a bid to hijack election materials for the House of Representatives primaries on Saturday.

The state commissioner of police, Ntomchukwu, the state chairman of the PDP, Col. Sam Inokoba, his state secretary, Mathew Keku and some newsmen were trapped inside the secretariat building as the battle raged for almost two hours with residents of the neighbouring red-light district taking to their heels for dear lives.

During the battle, the suspected thugs held the members of the Electoral Committee of the party deployed to the state for the conduct of the primaries hostage.

The PDP Election Committee members led by Gen. Idi Adamu as Chairman, Yeye Bola Dare, Zanna Mustapha, Alaye Don Pedro and John Idoko as Secretary were held hostage at the PDP Secretariat for hours.

The incident triggered pandemonium as politicians who had congregated at the secretariat to witness the distribution of materials scampered into the surroundings. This occurred about noon.

According to a journalist who was trapped in the crossfire, Mrs Joy Bello, the thugs arrived the PDP Secretariat in a white Siena space wagon and armed with dangerous weapons including guns

THISDAY

House Speaker Tambuwal Vacates Suit Challenging Withdrawal Of Security Details

A Federal High Court on Monday struck out a suit by Speaker of House of Representatives Aminu Tambuwal challenging the withdrawal of his security details by the Police Inspector General of Police.

Justice Ahmed Mohammed’s ruling followed an application by Tambuwal withdrawing the suit against the Attorney General of the Federation and the Inspector General of Police.

Counsel to Tambuwal, Tunji Abayomi applied for the withdrawal of the suit on the grounds that the speaker instructed him to do so, adding that the Code of Ethics of the legal profession requires he complies.

Tambuwal’s motion on notice had challenged the constitutional powers of the IGP to withdraw his security details following his defection to the opposition All Progressive Congress (APC) on October 28 without an order of the court.

AITONLINE

Restore Speaker’s security – APC

The All Progressives Congress (APC) yesterday called on President Goodluck Jonathan to show better understanding of democracy by immediately restoring the security detail the Inspector General of Police unlawfully withdrew from the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt Hon Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.

In a statement in Abuja by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party described the withdrawal of the Speaker’s security detail  as  a usurpation of the role of the Judiciary by the Inspector General of Police, especially bearing in mind that the question of the interpretation of Section 68(1)(g) of the Constitution on which the Inspector General of Police anchored his illegal act is currently before the courts for resolution.

The party said for the avoidance of doubt, the position including the manner a person becomes the Speaker, is to be found in the Constitution, and no constitutional provision or legislation says membership of the ruling or dominant party  in the House is a pre-requisite. Furthermore as the number four citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the security detail and apparatus attached to the person of the Speaker is not based on his lineage, person and or political leaning. It is on account of the position and the protection required for that position and in Nigeria’s best interest.

“This unfortunate use and deployment of Nigeria’s security forces in a partisan and political way portends danger and further weakens important institutions of governance and jeopardises national security. Under President Jonathan, we now have a Police Force that is monitoring and making conclusions with respect to party membership, qualification, of an otherwise elected official. This is unheard of in any decent democracy.

“It is unfortunate, the party noted that President Jonathan who  had been a successive long term and unique beneficiary of our democracy and Constitution is now demonstrating  the greatest disregard for the laws that govern and guide us as a people. President Jonathan who is the only individual who benefited from the same Constitution to become a Governor from a Deputy Governor without an election and from a Vice President to President in similar legal circumstances now desecrates the same Constitution.

“The All Progressives Congress rejects this challenge to democracy and modern society. We reject President Jonathan’s illegality and call for respect and compliance with the law. We reject this meddling in the affairs of the Legislature, especially given the resolution of President Jonathan and his close advisers yesterday at their meeting to ask the Deputy Speaker, Mr Emeka Ihedioha, to unlawfully reconvene the House before the adjourned date.

“May we remind President Goodluck Jonathan that under the House Rules only a resolution by all principal officers of the House and not even the Speaker of the House can reconvene the House before the adjourned date not to talk of the deputy speaker.

“Regrettably the priority of President Goodluck Jonathan on the  night that Mubi, a town with a population of about  two million people in Adamawa State,  fell to the Boko Haram insurgents was how to illegally remove the Rt Hon Aminu Tambuwal as the Speaker of the House of Representatives.”

NATION

Enugu Council Chairmen in Police Net

Five local government Chairmen in Enugu State are in police net over allegations of embezzlements and misappropriation of public funds for political patronages.

Their arrest followed a petition to the Inspector-General of Police by the Enugu West Peoples Forum entitled “Looting and Fraudulent Diversion of Public Funds by Local Government Chairmen in Enugu State.”

Similarly, about 10 commissioners from Enugu State are currently guests of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), in Abuja.

They are answering questions on allegation of corruption, graft and other related offences, perpetrated in their respective ministries. This is even as Governor Sullivan Chime has stormed Abuja to lobby the presidency and other top party officials to stave of the pressure of anti-graft agencies on his administration. The petitioners accused the council chairmen, of deducting and diverting N10 million of their respective council allocations in the past 10 months, totalling about N450 million to allegedly fund the senatorial ambition of Governor Sullivan Chime.

THISDAY