A group, the Democracy Watch Network (DWN) has berated the Governor of Rivers state, Siminalayi Fubara for allegedly deploying armed thugs to harass, intimidate and forcibly remove 23 local government chairmen from office.
TheHintsNews reports that some youths loyal to the governor on Tuesday evicted the elected chairmen and destroyed government properties after Governor Fubara’s address.
The group in a statement issued Wednesday by its Coordinator, Godfrey Titus described the governor’s action as a brazen assault on democracy, resulting in the tragic loss of lives and a complete breakdown of law and order in the state.
It added that Fubara has again shown his knack for violence, adding that the latest incident was a stark reminder of his disregard for human life and democratic principles.
The group maintained that Fubara’s behaviour was unacceptable and also set a dangerous precedent for the erosion of democratic norms in Nigeria.
To this end, it called on Fubara to immediately reverse his decision, respect the legal process, and allow the chairmen to remain in office until the court reaches a decision.
It also called on the federal government and relevant authorities to take swift action to address this situation, ensure the restoration of peace and order in the State, and hold Fubara accountable for his anti-democratic actions.
It said: “The Democracy Watch Network (DWN) vehemently condemns the actions of Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara, who deployed thugs to forcibly remove Local Government Chairmen from office mere hours after their tenure expired,” the statement said.
“This brazen assault on democracy has resulted in the tragic loss of two lives and a complete breakdown of law and order in the state. Governor Fubara’s actions are a gross violation of the rule of law and a blatant disregard for the democratic process.”
The group explained that the case for tenure elongation for the chairmen was still pending in court, yet, the governor chose to take the law into his own hands, by allegedly using thugs to intimidate and harass elected officials.
“This behavior is unacceptable and sets a dangerous precedent for the erosion of democratic norms in Nigeria. Governor Fubara has a history of violence and tends to go to any length to prove a point to his perceived political opponents. This latest incident is a stark reminder of his disregard for human life and democratic principles,” it insisted.