{"id":357766,"date":"2011-04-01T02:43:00","date_gmt":"2011-04-01T02:43:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.ghanamma.net\/2011\/04\/01\/acn-ringim-must-go\/"},"modified":"2011-04-01T02:43:00","modified_gmt":"2011-04-01T02:43:00","slug":"acn-ringim-must-go","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ghanamma.com\/2011\/04\/01\/acn-ringim-must-go\/","title":{"rendered":"ACN: Ringim must go"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Police chief Hafiz Ringim was under attack yesterday.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) called for the removal of the Inspector-General of Police before this month\u2019s elections, saying “his activities are shameful to the noble profession of policing”.<\/span><\/p>\n

The party also called for an independent panel of enquiry into the assassinations, kidnappings and violence that have claimed the lives of people in Akwa Ibom State since Governor Godswill Akpabio assumed the reins in 2007.<\/span><\/p>\n

ACN National Chairman Chief Bisi Akande alleged that the Inspector-General of Police has compromised his position and become a willing tool in the hand of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)-led government.<\/span><\/p>\n

The party leader, who told reporters in Lagos that ACN has passed a vote of no confidence on Ringim, described him as a collaborator in the plot to keep the party\u2019s governorship candidate in Akwa Ibom State, Senator John Udoedehe, out of circulation, until after the elections.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said the police decided to team up with the ruling party to give the governor the upper hand at the poll, despite the fact that ACN is more popular than PDP in the state.<\/span><\/p>\n

At the news conference held at the City Hall, Lagos Island, relations of the detained ACN chieftain in Mushin, Alhaji Taoreed Farounbi, protested his controversial detention and denial of access to medical facilities and his lawyers, urging the leadership of the party to wade into his tribulation.<\/span><\/p>\n

Also, the news was broken that the Ondo State ACN chairman, Mrs Jumoke Anifowose, a former Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, was harassed by thugs who wanted to abduct her.<\/span><\/p>\n

With Akande were Mr. Audu Ogbe, National Secretary Senator Lawal Shuaibu, Alhaji Yusuf Ali, National Legal Adviser Dr Muiz Banire, Lagos State Publicity Sectretary, Comrade Joe Igbokwe, his deputy, Chief Funso Ologunde and former Environment Commissioner, Mr. Tunji Bello.<\/span><\/p>\n

Ogbeh decried the persistent attack on the ACN chieftains, submitting that rights were being violated with impunity.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

He said injustice against one Nigerian is an injustice against all.<\/span><\/p>\n

Akande, who catalogued the harassment, intimidation and acts of violence against ACN chieftains nationwide, warned against the repeat of the electoral debacle of 2007. He said the party would stage a rally to protest the atrocities of the police under Ringim during the electioneering.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

“With an Inspector General like Hafiz Ringim, the 2007 horrors may turn out to be a child\u2019s play… They say people should not go to the polling booths with their phones. The SSS also gave directives on the election. Our people should know that it is the duty of the INEC, and not police and SSS, to give directives on elections,” he added.<\/span><\/p>\n

Akande observed that the outcome of this year\u2019s general elections would lay the premise for the future peace, progress and stability of the country or its descent to anarchy.<\/span><\/p>\n

He lamented that, despite its avowed commitment to free, fair and credible elections, the PDP-Federal Government is determined to maintain its stronghold on the country by all means and at all costs, irrespective of the popular will.<\/span><\/p>\n

The former Osun State governor lamented that this month\u2019s elections would be taking place in an atmosphere of insecurity, adding that this attested to the gross incompetence and irresponsibility of the PDP, which has been ruling for 12 years. Akande reiterated ACN\u2019s opposition to “the constant recourse to military men for constabulary duties,” pointing out that the country is inviting trouble by reckless use of soldiers for partisan duties.<\/span><\/p>\n

“The Jonathan Administration is only following the familiar path of drafting soldiers during elections to intimidate the opposition and tilt the polls in favour of the PDP,” he fumed.<\/span><\/p>\n

Akande accused PDP governments across the states of preventing opposition from using public facilities, such as public squares, radio stations, and state-owned television stations for their campaigns, despite the fact that these facilities belong to all Nigerians.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said PDP chieftains had been perpetrating violence against the opposition in a manner reminiscent of the murder of their own members, including Harry Marshall, A.K. Dikibo, Funsho Williams and former Deputy Leader of Afenifere, Chief Bola Ige.<\/span><\/p>\n

“ACN considers as absolutely insincere and clearly hypocritical President Goodluck\u2019s new directive to security agencies to arrest and prosecute trouble makers during the polling process. This is a barely concealed call on security agencies to further harass and intimidate the opposition to the advantage of the PDP,” Akande said.<\/span><\/p>\n

The party leader said ACN could not trust the President because he has refused to call the PDP governors oppressing the opposition to order.<\/span><\/p>\n

To buttress his point, the National Chairman described Udoedehe\u2019s ordeal as the fallout of the replication of the military brutality and dictatorship by the PDP administration in Akwa Ibom.<\/span><\/p>\n

To him, that Ringim charged the governorship candidate with treason without any proof of evidence is laughable.<\/span><\/p>\n

“The on-going persecution of Senator Udoedehe confirms that Akpabio is a vicious civilian dictator. He clearly runs a gestapo government in Akwa Ibom State.There is every indication that the entire incident was carefully planned and orchestrated by the PDP government to implicate Senator Udoedehe. It is unfortunate that the IG of Police is neck deep in the plot to victimise and keep him out of circulation, until the governorship election is over,” Akande emphasised.<\/span><\/p>\n

To the ACN National Chairman, there can be no level-playing ground where the governorship candidate of the party is languishing in detention and facing prosecution by the police on trumped-up charges and at the mercy of his opponent, Akpabio.<\/span><\/p>\n

Akande described as unjust the detention of ACN members on community duty in Kwara State, lamenting that they were detained for repairing the road neglected by the PDP government for many years.<\/span><\/p>\n

He said the order by the Inspector General that voters should stay at the polling booth to monitor their votes or use camera and mobile phones to monitor votes recording conflicted with INEC\u2019s dkirective.<\/span><\/p>\n

Akande said the directive was given by Ringim to assist the PDP in its bid to rig the elections.<\/span><\/p>\n

His words: “The person who is supposed to protect the sanctity of the electoral process is already brought over by PDP and is only acting their scripts. We are not surprised because the appointment of Ringim is a reward for the ignominious role he played in the installation of Goodluck Jonathan as the governor of Bayalsa State during the Alamieyesigha saga, in which Ringim proved himself a loyal tool in the arsenal of Goodluck Jonathan.”<\/span><\/p>\n

Akande said ACN members have suffered untold hardship and persecution in many states, including Taraba, Jigawa, Lagos, Osun, Edo, Ogun, Kebbi, Sokoto and Benue where, according to him, PDP thugs visited violence on them without the police raising an eyebrow.<\/span><\/p>\n

He warned that PDP leaders in government were enjoying transient immunities, reminding them that they cannot escape the day of accountability.<\/span><\/p>\n

Akande said: “The lesson from Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and other parts of the world is that no force on earth is strong to stop the power of a free and determined people to liberate themselves. A word should be sufficient to the wise.”<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n

More here:
\nACN: Ringim must go<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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