Police public relations officer (PPRO) Don Awunah says the police did not seal the ground to stop the PDP but to maintain status quo until the factions resolve their differences
Awunah denies that the police was following the order of Justice Abang of the Abuja federal high court which was affirmed on Tuesday, August 16
Awunah also denies that the police was carrying out the orders of a superior power
The Nigeria Police has denied that it is following superior orders from the presidency to stop the convention of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) which is slated for today in Port Harcourt, Rivers state.
Speaking on a live radio show, Political Platform monitored by NAIJ.com on Wednesday, August 17, Police public relations officer (PPRO) Donn Awunah said the police acted only to protect lives and property and not to stop the PDP convention.
“It is not about sealing. We did not just seal. You must understand that the police is a critical stakeholder in democracy within the framework of the Nigerian law and other extant laws. There were two conflicting court orders but the primary motive of the police is that there is peace and protection of lives and properties. It is not the issue of A and B. It is not about obeying A or B but you must be proactive in law enforcement because at the end of the day, the question you are asked is “What did you do?”
“It is just like a simple case of conflict resolution where there are two sides. What do you do? You revert back to the status quo and see where they can move forward. The status quo is that we are maintaining security.
“You cannot take sides in this issue. You don’t. We are like a referee. We have the two court orders.
“When you have such a situation (as this), you need to consult and you don’t do that by the press of a button. We are still consulting. What is primary to us is to work and ensure that there is peace in Port Harcourt. You know our democracy is a bit volatile but we are evolving.
On if the police conveyed its decision to the PDP when it was decided, Awuna said:
“Didn’t the court order catch Nigerians unaware? Nobody plans for anything. We are just being proactive. If we sense a situation that can create anarchy and disorder or disrupt social production, what do you do? You have to be proactive.”
Where there reports of impending violence? Awuna said: “You evaluate situations. Peace can burst like a bubble and you don’t have to wait for people to start throwing stones. That is all about proactive policing. You have to move from the traditional concept of reacting to situations to being proactive so that you will be able to dominate, control and facilitate democracy.”
He brushed aside PDP’s claims that the police was following the ruling of Justice Okon Abang of the Abuja federal high court by saying: “Whoever you may have talked to is politicking. We don’t do that. We are insulated from politicking, so the caretaker you talked to in either of the two parties is merely politicking. What we are doing is our job to ensure that these two factions resolve their issues.
“In security matters, there is no crystal ball to see into the future, you predict and project, plan and do proactive policing. And this is within the confines of the law. In Nigeria today, you cannot predict what can happen. People could be in their homes planning violence. So, you have to be able to control and dominate the area. Now, Sharks Stadium is the epicentre of democratic in Port Harcourt or the PDP, so to speak and you have to understand that there were two warring factors. So, they need to resolve before anything else. We are just arbiters.
On if the police is acting on higher orders or of its own accord, he said: “The police is acting within the frame of the law.”
Meanwhile, there is tension in Port Harcourt over fears that the national convention of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP) slated for today, Wednesday, August 17, 2016, has been cancelled.
This comes on the heels of the many court cases bordering on the legality of the convention.
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