G-7 govs meeting: NLC accuses police of partisanship

Vice President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Issa Aremu, on Tuesday accused the Nigeria Police of partisanship  in the handling of the crisis rocking the ruling Peoples Democratic Party.

Specifically referring to the police disruption of the meeting of the seven aggrieved governors’ of the PDP at the Kano State Governor’s Lodge in Abuja, Aremu said the action was “unacceptable.”

He argued that with the action of the police, the force had created the impression of taking sides in the current crisis rocking the PDP.

He added that the “real acid test” for the police lay in its impartiality and fairness in handing the security of citizens and stakeholders in the country as well as ensuring their freedom and liberties.

The NLC boss then called on the Inspector General of Police to urgently caution state commissioners as well as the Divisional Police Officers throughout the country to obey the police Code of Conduct and discharge their responsibility to all stakeholders in Nigerian project with fairness and justice.

He said, “The job of the police is to protect civil liberties and not be an obstacle to self expression of some stakeholders. An injury to any Nigerian regardless of political affiliation is an injury to all Nigerian workers.

“We also watch with dismay how the police seem to have created an impression of taking sides in the current crisis rocking the Peoples Democratic Party, by disrupting peaceful assembly of dissidents, including serving governors, who are themselves the security officers of their states as well as senators.”

Aremu added, “The third Principle of the Police Code of conduct mandates all police officers to be impartial and above partisanship. The NPF should not take the public confidence for granted. It must win and retain the confidence of the public.

“This is only possible if the police protect all Nigerians and do not do the bidding of the few, however politically positioned. In a democracy, contestation and cooperation among political parties and actors are normal.”

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