Aborted Protest: APC Was More Matured - Rivers CP

The Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Francis Odesanya, has described the RIvers State Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC), as matured and law abiding, over its voluntary decision to abide by the advice of the Rivers State Police Command to abort a protest for which approval was dully given because of a security threat arising from an 'unapproved' PDP solidarity march on the same day. Read interview below:

"I received a letter from the APC seeking for approval to deliver a protest letter to the Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly over their refusal to swear in 2 elected APC members into the Rivers State House of Assembly.

I also got an information that the PDP was also planning a solidarity march for the Speaker of the House of Assembly on the same day, at the same time, that the APC scheduled their protest. So I put a call through to the PDP Chairman, Brother Felix Obuah, who confirmed it and said that they just want to go and pay the Speaker a visit.

I also put a call to His Excellency, Governor Nyesom Wike, and he said yes, that they want to go and pay him a solidarity visit. I explained to him that it would not be proper, it would not be appropriate, since we've already given the APC approval to go on a rally just to deliver a protest letter to the Speaker on that same day, that they could always do it on another day. He said NO, that they don't need my permission to go and pay a solidarity visit to the Speaker!

So since then, I started looking for a way to get out of the logjam. I put up an official letter to two of them, advising them to desist from such acts. Fortunately for me, the APC decided to be more matured and agreed that they would not come down to the Speaker's place, rather they would go round the State in expressing their grievances over the non-swearing in of their elected members into the Rivers State House of Assembly.

Of course we mobilised massively, over 40 vehicles, over 3000 men, because we know what this thing is all about..." - Mr. Francis Odesanya, Rivers State Commissioner of Police