PDP slams police over invasion of Akwa-Ibom House of Assembly

Police by the Akwa Ibom House of Assembly

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has condemned the role allegedly played by the police in the invasion of the Akwa Ibom State House of Assembly complex by hoodlum.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan on Monday in Abuja, said the police handling of the matter led to a total breakdown of law and order, saying this was unexpected.

“The armed thugs, who accompanied a former member of the House of Assembly, Idongesit Ituen, attempted to disrupt proceedings in a  bid to stop the House from reading an order of a Federal High Court.

“The court had last week declared Ituen’s seat vacant following his decampment from the PDP to the All Progressives Congress (APC).

“The court had in a declarative judgment ordered the House of Assembly not to recognize Hon Ituen as a member of the Akwa Ibom state House of Assembly.

“Strangely, last week, the new Police commissioner posted to the state, Mr J.B Abang, without any reasons, reportedly ordered the immediate withdrawal of police officers attached to house members an action, which paved the way for the hoodlums to invade the complex and attempted to disrupt proceedings.

“Curiously, the hoodlums who attempted to break into the chambers had the backing of policemen, while the members were unprotected, a development which pointed to high-level official conspiracy against the state legislature.”

The Publicity Secretary added that PDP condemned the action of the police in aiding the invasion, and that the House of Assembly  stood in defence of the law, declaring vacant Ituen’s seat as well as those of four others who had decamped from the PDP vacant, in line with the judgment of the court.