The member representing Afikpo North/South federal constituency, Ebonyi State in the House of Representatives, Hon. Iduma Igariwey, yesterday called on the police in the state to stop non-state actors.
Hon. Iduma Igariwey.
He alleged that the non-state actors in the state have been harassing and intimidating people in the state with arms without being stopped which he said was a recipe for anarchy.
Igariwey who spoke with Journalists in his Afikpo residence, Afikpo North local government area of the state after distributing millions of naira, wrappers, bags of rice and other items to his constituents for Christmas celebration,
The two-term lawmakers described political intolerance in the state as a sorry and unsavoury situation and urged the state government to allow oxygen into the political space.
He said "it is a very sorry situation, it is a very unsavoury situation. It is most undemocratic that you don’t allow space for people to exercise their choice. Every government gets into office through a process and this won’t be a difference, Ebonyi shouldn’t be a different situation. So, in the coming days, we will join hands in encouraging the government to allow oxygen into the democratic space. People should be allowed to put up their posters, people should be allowed to put their banners, and people should be allowed to campaign in public places.
"I am meeting my constituents, celebrating with them in my private place because of a patently unconstitutional state executive order that makes it impossible for people like me and other people in other parties who are not in APC to exercise themselves, sell their manifestos, reach out to people from a platform because that is how this government, Dave Umahi government came into being. We campaigned everywhere for him, we went across the state in public places campaigning for him. Why won’t he allow some other persons to emerge because at the end of the day, power belongs to the electorate, and power belongs to God?
"To the police, police do your job. Don’t allow non-state actors to take over your functions, it is a call to arms. When you allow people who are non-state actors to carry guns and stand by the road, flag down vehicles, take bribes, harass people, and attack people, it is a recipe for anarchy. It is not just here in Ebonyi, all through history, such circumstances breed nothing but anarchy; a breakdown of law and order because people can only tolerate as much."
