President Muhammadu Buhari on Monday orders security operatives attached to polling units to shoot ballot box snatchers on sight.
This is just as the President vowed to ensure that the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC and other officials of INEC will be made to account for its incompetence.
The President stated that although, the constitution and law make INEC independent, “ INEC must account for its incompetence”
According to the President, “ I do not expect anybody to make any disturbance, I have briefed the law enforcemnt agencies and the military to identify hotspots , flash points, they should be prepared to move.
“They too would have made their own arrangement as possible and resources provided as much as the country can afford it. And anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disturb it (elections) , maybe that would be the last unlawful action he would take. I have directed the police and the military to be ruthless.
“We do not understand why INEC displayed such incompetence
I have given military and police order to be ruthless. I am not afraid l am have moved around the country and have enough people to vote for me
President Buhari said he is not going to be blamed for any election lapses or allow his administration to be accused of rigging elections.
“ We will not be accused that we want to rig elections. I want Nigerians to be respected, let them vote whoever they want across the party. I’m not afraid … As you said, I have gone round all the 36 states and Abuja. I think I have gotten enough support across the country
“I am going to warn anybody who thinks, he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system, he would do it at the expense of his own life”he said
The President insisted that INEC has no explanations for what the nation went through, with the postponement of last Saturday’s election., adding that he was “told about the decision of INEC at quarter to 5am in the morning of the Election Day.
“INEC had all the time and resources, didn’t have to wait six hours to the elections to announced postponement.
“Definitely, INEC must explain to Nigerians what happened, the constitution and the law protects INEC but they must not take us for granted.
“If we had failed to provide all what INEC wanted, then we would have been held responsible
“So at least after the elections we will have to go into details to find out what happened,” he said.
The All Progressive Congress APC National Chairman, Adams Oshiomhole had earlier called on the President to ensure that INEC was held accountable tpfor the postponement of last Saturday’s election.
Oshiomhole in his speech also insisted that the party will go ahead to continue its campaigns saying that INEC has no powers to stop the campaigns having postponed the election.
He insisted that INEC must be prevailed upon to immediately reshuffle state Resident Electoral commissioners who have been compromised and become institutionalized and which may compromise the outcome of the results.
Oshiomhole said the ruling party was determined not to disappoint supporters and Nigerians.
According to him, the party did what is expected to ensure a successful elections including providing all logistics to all those involved in elections exercise including party agents.
“ Then we’ve saw INEC’s magic, the worst had happened and they postponed the elections by one week without cogent reasons.
While expressing shock at the decision, Oshiomhole said “ if we and ordinary Nigerians were shocked, then we can only imagined how shocked you were, more as as you are determined.
The APC National Chairman said the action was meant to frustrate APC as a party and discourage voters.
“We are determined to put INEC to shame, and to reiterated that we are committed to free, fair and credible elections. We are not going to compromise on that.
He said apart from being disgusted about INEC’s postponements, he is curious and suspects there is hidden agenda.
He described as rubbish, INEC’s excuse about Nigeria’s population and challenges of moving materials around.
Oshiomhole insisted that INEC’s knew that the election was not going to hold and did leaked the information to the main opposition party. He said all early warning indicators showed that INEC had something up it sleeves.
He alleged that INEC is working with anti-democratic elements to frustrate free and fair elections.
He said INEC has no right to stop campaigns, insisting that voters need to be reminded as this might result in low voters turn out. He hinted that they are ready to go to court.
Oshiomhole also said the ruling party is going to write INEC to explain if the card readers have been reconfigured and what is the guarantee that it won’t fail, and why deploy only 4,000 card readers, saying what is expected is 176,000 card readers and spares.
He said the ruling party does not want staggered elections but elections conducted simultaneously across all pulling units.
He said INEC need to assure Nigerians that the samples of sensitive materials already in circulation will not compromise the process.
“We must not allow this shock affect our voters, we need to renew campaign and reassure the voters especially APC voters.
He called on President Buhari to ensure those involve in what he called national sabotage are pushed using the rule of law.
Also in attendance are National Chairman of the party, Adams Oshiomhole, Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, national leader, Bola Tinubu, and Director General of Buhari Campaign Organisation, Rotimi Amaechi.
End
