by Rachel Ogbu

The political crisis may seem to have calmed down a bit in Rivers state but a group of activists called the Anti-Corruption Network, have threatened the Presidency to be prepared for the “Egyptian treatment” over its alleged role on the issue and have planned a protest in Aso Rock, Abuja.

In a statement entitled, “Touch Amaechi, touch Nigeria,” the Secretary of ACN and former member of the House of Representatives,  Dino Melaye has given the Inspector-General of Police,  Mohammed Abubakar, one week ultimatum to remove the Rivers State Commissioner of Police,  Joseph Mbu, over his alleged role in the face-off between the Presidency and Governor Rotimi Amaechi, failing which it would mobilise the masses and occupy the Force Headquarters.

“Our ultimatum will expire Monday next week; if Mbu is not transferred, we will announce a date for our protest to the Force Headquarters. It is a shame that our country is in the brinks. Never has it been this bad,” he reportedly said.

“We will not fold our hands and allow impunity to reign supreme. The (Aso Rock) Villa will soon dance naked because they are boxing the winds. They will subconsciously ignite a revolution and it will consume them all.”

[READ: River crisis: Panel interrogates Rotimi Amaechi ]

The Punch reports:

Also, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria said it would work in tandem with its Nigeria Labour Congress counterpart in the planned protest.

The Secretary-General of TUC, Mr. Musa Lawal, told Saturday PUNCH that although no strike had been declared by the national secretariat, the Rivers State council of TUC will join the NLC in the state.

He said, “From the national headquarters of TUC, no strike has been declared. However, Rivers State council of TUC has informed us that actions concerning labour are jointly carried out by a collaborative effort between the NLC and the TUC.”

Meanwhile, the TUC in Rivers State has said it would not hesitate to join its national headquarters on a protest to the Presidency over the crisis in the state.

The state TUC Chairman, Mr. Chika Onuegbu, commended the move by the leader of the Anti-corruption Network, Mr. Dino Melaye, to take his protest to Aso Rock over the political logjam in Rivers.

Onuegbu stated that he had been discussing with the Secretary-General of the TUC on the planned protest and promised that labour would not sit on the fence while other embraced the struggle.

He observed that those whose actions had continued to threaten the country’s hard-earned democracy never contributed anything towards achieving the system of government in 1999.

“I have discussed with the Secretary-General of TUC at the national level. We have exchanged views and since the protest is essentially to strengthen democracy, all of us will support any action that will make democracy survive,” he said.

However, when one of our correspondents contacted the Deputy President of the NLC, Chief Promise Adewusi, he denied knowledge of such a planned protest.

“There is nothing like that, at least, not at the national level,” he said.