Governors of the All Progressive Congress (APC) have 

taken a swipe at the police over the controversial 

blockade of Rivers state government house road 

describing it as a bad precedent capable of derailing the 

country’s democracy.

A statement jointly signed by eleven of the APC 

governors said “as governors, we view the events of 

September 12 in Rivers as a direct affront on 

constitutional order in the country.”

They also noted that the “action of the Rivers Police 

Command is an assault on constitutional rule and 

portends a descent into anarchy.”

Hear them:

“This is unfortunate and all Nigerians must rise to this 

challenge by calling on the Federal Government and all 

its agencies, including all arms of the security services, to 

respect the letter and spirit of the 1999 Nigerian 

Constitution.

“In the specific case of Rivers State, provisions of Section 

215(4) of the 1999 Constitution must be fully respected. 

This section provides that the Governor ‘may give to the 

Commissioner of Police of that state such lawful 

directions with respect to the maintenance and security of 

public safety and public order within the state as he may 

consider necessary, and the Commissioner of Police shall 

comply with those directions or cause them to be 

complied with.’

“A situation whereby the Federal Government will use 

powers vested in it under the constitution to bully and 

intimidate state governments is unacceptable and should 

be resisted by every democratic government.”