The Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, has noted with deep concern the controversies and actions of actors relating to and pertaining to the scheduled Local Government elections in Rivers State.
The NBA has noted with particular interest the statement released by the Rivers State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Grace Iringe-Koko, which indicates that the Rivers State Police will not provide security during the Local Government elections scheduled for Saturday, October 5, 2024.
The NBA has also read the disturbing report that some Policemen were alleged to have attempted to cart away electoral materials in the dead of the Night at the Head office of Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission, RSIEC.
We agree with the statement issued by the Chairmen of NBA Branches in Rivers State. We find it deeply troubling that the Police would brazenly issue a statement that they would shirk their constitutional responsibility of providing security in Rivers State in purported compliance with a court order.
Even if a court has directed the Police not to work with the Electoral Commission in Rivers State, nothing says the Police should provide security for peace and order in Rivers State.
The police’s responsibility to ensure peace and security in Rivers State is constitutional and cannot be restrained by any court. The Police should always provide security for the good people of Nigeria and should, in fact, be worried if any court order purports to prevent them from discharging this responsibility.
The court should never restrain the duty to secure the lives and property of the people. The Police and all Nigerians should be concerned that the police issued a statement confirming they would abdicate their duty.
The Police must ensure they discharge their duties at all times and urgently take steps to set aside any judgment that seeks to prevent them from discharging their constitutional responsibilities. To do otherwise may enthrone a reign of terror or breakdown of law and order. The people of Rivers must never be left unprotected, no matter what.
Any act or position that leaves the people and their activities unprotected is utterly unacceptable and strongly condemned by the Nigerian Bar Association. If accurate, the Rivers State Police’s assertion through the PPRO that the Police will not provide security for the elections is an unfortunate abdication of responsibility and an egregious violation of constitutional duties.
The refusal to provide security is not only unconstitutional but also illegal, immoral, and a dangerous signal that invites lawlessness and undermines democracy. In every sense, it is a direct attack on the democratic rights of the people of Rivers State and, by extension, Nigeria as a whole. It threatens our democracy.
The Nigeria Police Force is constitutionally mandated to protect lives and property, and this duty extends to providing security during elections. Any failure to perform this obligation is unacceptable. The security of elections and all other activities is not a matter of negotiation. It is a constitutional responsibility that the police must carry out at all times. The Police should NEVER shirk such responsibilities.
The Nigerian Bar Association condemns, in the strongest possible terms, any attempt to undermine the scheduled elections in the 22 Local Government Areas of Rivers State by refusing to provide security. We will continue to monitor the situation closely as it unfolds.
We call on all security agencies to rise to the challenge of protecting lives, property, and democracy during this critical time. Furthermore, we urge the Inspector General of Police to immediately investigate these troubling reports that Policemen sought to cart away electoral materials and ensure that any errant officers involved are swiftly and appropriately disciplined, regardless of whose interests are affected.
The NBA has also noted the conflicting judgments from the Rivers State High Court and the Federal High Court in Abuja concerning the scheduled Local Government elections. It is deeply disheartening and amounts to judicial rascality that courts of concurrent jurisdiction are issuing contradictory orders on the same matter.
The NBA is committed to engaging with all relevant stakeholders to find a sustainable solution to this constant judicial conflict, as the consistency and coherence of the law are fundamental to its effectiveness.
The protection of our democracy and the upholding of the rule of law must remain the highest priority.
Mazi Afam Osigwe, SAN
President, Nigerian Bar Association
