TheCable

The Nigeria police force says it has no plan to arrest Ike Ekweremadu, deputy senate president, contrary to an allegation by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government was plotting to use the police to intimidate and incarcerate Ekweremadu so as to pave way for his removal from office.

Earlier on Sunday, APC denied petitioning the police against Ekweremadu, saying it did not write a petition to the police and was not aware that any petition was written against the deputy senate president.

”However, if, as the PDP claims, the petition concerns alleged altering of the senate’s standing rules on the process of electing presiding officers, that is a clear case of forgery, which the police have a duty to investigate. Questioning the right of the police to carry out their duties in this regard amounts to intimidating the security agency,” it said.

“‘Forgery is a crime that is being regularly investigated by the police, and it beggars belief that such investigation will now be interpreted to mean that Nigeria is descending into dictatorship or that democracy and the enjoyment of personal freedoms are now endangered. These claims by the scaremongering PDP are far-fetched and preposterous. If indeed there is a petition against Ekweremadu, he should gladly heed the invitation by the police so he can clear his name, because no one is above the law.”

But the police, on its Facebook page, said it received a petition from a senator alleging unauthorised substitution of senate document.

“The matter was referred to force CIID Abuja for investigation,” it said.

“In line with the policy of the police leadership of gathering evidence before invitation, a letter was sent to the clerk of the national assembly to facilitate a meeting of some principal senate members/clerk with police investigating team headed by DIG FCIID at their convenient time and venue.

“No plans to arrest deputy senate president as the Nigeria police force have healthy respect for democratic values.”