The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has condemned the alleged brutal assault on the President of the Nigerian Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero in Owerri, Imo State by the operatives of the Nigeria Police Force and urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to direct the Inspector General of Police IGP Kayode Egbetokun to fish out the perpetrators.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the National Publicity Secretary of the Party, Ambassador Rufus Aiyenigba.
The party also expressed deep concerns on the nomination and confirmation of cards carrying members of political parties as Resident Electoral Commissioners of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and called for immediate withdrawal of the affected nominees.
The statement reads, “the Social Democratic Party, (SDP), received with great shock, the brutal assault on Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), and also expresses deep concerns on the nomination as Resident Electoral Commissioners, by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, of some persons who are confirmed politicians and members of political parties.
“The SDP states that the Wednesday, November 1, 2023, physical assault attack by the police on the national labour leader in Owerri, Imo State, in the course of discharging his mandate is unacceptable.
“President Tinubu is therefore called upon, to swiftly order a thorough investigation of the ugly incident and give the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun a marching order to bring to book, all those officials involved in that ugly incident which was undeniably a national embarrassment.
“The party calls for high-level professionalism on the part of the Nigerian Police in dealing with and handling civil protests. It also demands that the Police High Command should offer unreserved apology to Comrade Ajaero, the Nigerian labour movement and civil society in general, for the brazen acts of intimidation and infringement of the fundamental right of Mr Ajaero, as well as the intimidation which the action of the Police constitute to all Nigerian workers whom he represents.
“President Tinubu should be cognisant of the need to engender in practical terms, a positive image for his administration as a truly democratic government.
“He needs to prevent the good record of his past struggles for democracy and civil liberties from being eroded.
“The SDP also condemns the nomination by the President, of card-carrying politicians into the nation’s electoral regulatory body (INEC) and the subsequent clearance that was expressly granted the nominees by the senate.
“The two acts of brazen impunity create for the new administration, a bad image of a government that is repressive and one not committed to the protection of rights, rule of law, electoral reforms and democratic consolidation.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNEÂ
and then