BY JIMITOTA  ONOYUME

PORT HARCOURT-THE Inspector-General of Police has asked a Federal High Court in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, to stay the execution of its ruling, ordering the police to vacate Obio/ Akpor Local Government Area secretariat in Rivers State.

It will be recalled that the trial judge,  Justice H. A. Ngajiwa, had, on Monday,  ordered the Police to withdraw from the council secretariat for council workers to resume.

Counsel to the IG, Mr.  Donald Denwigwe, in the application for stay of execution of the order, is contending that an appeal had been lodged against the ruling before the Court of Appeal.

The IG, among other things, is challenging the jurisdiction of the court to entertain the matter.  He said that since the issue before the court had to do with local government administration, a Federal High Court was  not the proper place for the adjudication of such a matter.

Denwigwe argued that they were also challenging the validity of the appointment of the caretaker committee, adding that they had to ask for the stay of execution of the order for the Police to remain at the secretariat until the issues before the Appeal Court were dealt with. “If the Police vacate and our appeal succeeds at the end of the day, what are we appealing on?” he said.

Denwigwe said it was good that the Police remained at the secretariat to guarantee the safety of lives and property, as it would be proper for the court determines who should administer the council before the Police vacate the place since the Caretaker Committee and those suspended by the House of Assembly were in  court over who should administer the secretariat.