The speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, has faulted President Muhammadu Buhari’s warning that those who try to snatch ballot boxes during the general elections will be doing so at their own risk.
Dogara, speaking at press conference on Monday, February 18, said Buhari’s statement was a violation of Nigerian laws which have provided sanctions for electoral offenders,
He stated that the president’s statement was dictatorial in nature, noting that it indicates that the military has been given a central role into the conduct of the election contrary to the Nigerian laws.
“The President’s statement as a call for extra-judicial killings considering the fact that there are adequate provisions in our laws to address electoral offenses,” Dogara said.
“These statements clearly indicate that our democracy has become the victim of a full blown dictatorship, when one considers that a democratically-elected President would give a directive that is in clear violation of the laws of the land which by his oath of office he is to defend and protect.
“In view of this statement by the President, it is obvious that the military has been given a central role and co-opted into the conduct of the election despite the fact that they have no constitutional role in our electoral process.”
Meanwhile, the national leader of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has explained and given details concerning the order to security agencies issued on Monday, February 18 by President Muhammadu Buhari.
Tinubu, who spoke after the national caucus of the meeting of the APC in Abuja where the president gave the instruction that ballot thieves should be ruthlessly dealt with as the country prepares for the postponed general elections.
He said the president never gave any order that citizens of the country should be shot, adding that the president’s words were misinterpreted.
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