From Jude Dangwam, Jos
Members of the Plateau State House of Assembly have passed a vote of no confidence on the Commissioner of Police Plateau State Command, CP Bartholomew Onyeka and called for the immediate reopening of all the Local Government Secretariats of the 17 Local Government areas of Plateau State.
The 10th Assembly called on the Inspector General of Police to reverse his directives of closing all the 17 Local Government Council Secretariats in Plateau State, stressing that they are convinced that the CP who is his eye in the State misinformed the CP with his well established interest in the political atmosphere on the Plateau.
The Lawmakers led by Member representing Bokkos State Constituency, Hon. Ishaku Maren
made this position known on Thursday after their Executive session held at the State Assembly Complex in Jos the State Capital.
According to him, “We wake up today with the news of a Press statement by the Commissioner of Police CP. Bartholomew Onyeka of a directives by the Inspector General of Police to seal up all 17 Secretariats of the Local Government Councils in the State.
“The IG’s action did not came to us as a surprise because of the trend of events that has happened in the state. It was very clear that the Court ruled that the then Executive Chairman of Langtang-North Local Council Area in person of Hon. Joshua Laven Ubandoma should be reinstated and the Police Commissioner Plateau State deliberately refused to enforce that judgement.
“Also there was a Court judgment that the then Speaker of the Plateau State House of Assembly Rt. Hon. Nuhu Ayuba Abok should be reinstated as the Speaker of the 9th Assembly in which the State Commissioner of Police again deliberately refused to enforce such Court order and all that we could saw in the State was for the CP to order his men to seal the House of Assembly Complex which was rather unfortunate.”
The 10th Assembly maintains that “as a matter of public importance call on the IG to reverse his directive and reopen the 17 Council Secretariats. We are passing a vote of no confidence on the Plateau State Commissioner of Police because of his actions contravene the convention as enshrined in the establishment of the Nigerian Police Force, he is partisan and we lost confidence in his actions.”
Honourable Maren emphasize that the Police is supposed to protect lives and properties of citizens and give proper protection to constituted authorities within the State. “But what we enjoyed in the state is the reversal, in which the Police to us instead of being neutral they begin to prove otherwise as if they’re partisan.
“Our position is properly informed that the IG doesn’t reside in Plateau State, it shows that he has been misinformed by the State Commissioner who is his representative here.”
They explained that the newly sworn-in Transition Management Committee Chairmen went to their respective Local Government and were received by mammoth crowd of citizens in those respective LGAs, only few had issues and expected the Police CP to called the sacked Council Chairmen to order and dialogue with them but however proceeded by closing the Secretariats of the LGAs in the State.
The Members called on citizens of the State to remain calm as efforts are on top gear to resolved the matter amicably.