Police in the FCT have warned that they will not allow protests against the rigging of the elections during this week�s May Day celebrations.
FCT police Commissioner, Lawrence Alobi, said he will not hesitate to use the powers conferred on them in the Public Order Act to disperse any unlawful gathering by the opposition parties to protest the alleged rigging of the 2007, polls.
Mr Alobi said nobody, except the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has permission to hold any procession or rally in Abuja on Tuesday.
But a civil liberty group yesterday said Mr Alobi was helping the government silence the people.
Diego Okenyodo of the Alliance for Credible Elections, an affiliate of unions and civil liberties organi-sations said: �the president has said there is nothing wrong with the election and now he will use the police to prevent the Nigerian people from peacefully showing the rest of the world they disagree.� Freedom of association and peaceful protests are universal rights recognised by the United Nations, Mr Okenyodo said.
�This decision will lead Nigeria to chaos,� he said.
The chairman of the All Nigeria People�s Party (AN-PP), said they will ask the police for a clarification of the position today (Monday). Senator Seidu Kumo said: �there is at present no line of communication between the police and the party when we have established what the police are saying, we will react formally.�
A source in the ANPP told Daily Trust that the protest would commence from Lagos instead of Abuja under the leadership of retired General Buhari. The idea, according to our source, is to make sure that the protests do not clash with the May Day celebrations of the NLC in Abuja.
But the director of the women presidential campaign team for General Moham-madu Buhari, Hajiya Aisha Kaita, said Mr. Buhari might not lead the protest, adding that every Nigerian is a leader in the protest.
�What people don�t know is that the General is not in this for himself. Nigerians will lead the protest themselves. It is for Nigerians, so everybody is a leader in the protest,� she said.
According to her, �Last Friday and Sunday, we had prayer sessions for those who died during the elections because in the first place, there was no reason whatsoever for the killing. On May 1, we also expect Nigerians, to come out and protest so that the whole world will know their position.
�All these will be peacefull and constitutional. The police do not have any right to harass anybody. As long as they (the police) don�t do that, it will not turn violent. After all, nobody is carrying guns or sticks; these are simply ordinary Nigerians calling for a re -run of the polls. It�s going to be a peaceful demonstration.
�All Nigerians, political parties, interest groups, civil societies and religious gro-ups will join and call it the mother of all protests�.
The (NLC) and the Action Congress could not be contacted before going to press.
Under the Public Order Act, no group is allowed to organise and proceed on any form of procession or rally without police approval, Mr Alobi said.
He said: �If the opposition parties or any group wants to proceed on any form of procession or rally, the law says they must apply to the police within 48 hours and obtain a written permit before they embark on the procession or rally.
�I am telling you that no party or group of persons applied to the FCT police command for any such permit against May 1st. We are therefore not willing to allow any form of rally or procession by any political party or group of persons,� he said.
Mr. Alobi however said he has met with the leadership of the NLC who assured him that the May 1st celebration of workers day will be peaceful.
The police boss who said the NLC got approval for a peaceful Workers Rally that will hold on May 1st at the Eagles Square, said his command will provide them with adequate security to ensure that the NLC rally is not hijacked by politicians.
He said the command has beefed up security in the Federal Capital to ensure the effective provision of security to lives and property.
The ANPP in a statement said it will lead other opposition parties to embark on a mass action all over the country on May 1 this year to protest the alleged rigging of the April polls.
In the meantime, armed soldiers who mounted machine guns were seen at all exit points leading into Abuja.
The soldiers who searc-hed all vehicles coming into the Federal Capital City, were seen questioning the passengers of every vehicle heading into the city.
Mr Alobi who said the soldiers are on an independent operation, said their presence on the road is to complement police efforts to provide adequate security in the FCT.
Apr302007