By Dansu Peter
As the directive by President Muhammadu Buhari to shoot any ballot box snatcher during the rescheduled Presidential and national Assembly polls on Saturday at sight continue to generate condemnation and commendation, it is observed that no Nigerian political party considers a judicial trial for such offenders when issuing such threat.
There have been accusation and counter-accusations that the threat issued by President Muhammadu Buhari at the APC caucus meeting that the military and the police should be ruthless with anyone found trying to snatch the ballot boxes on Saturday. Many oppositions and their allies have been accusing the President of issuing a statement classified as extra-judicial, which in turn contravene the constitution of the country.
On the contrary, checks by News Proof revealed that many of the chieftains of the opposition, the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, have issued such statement without recourse to the constitution. Prominent among PDP stalwarts who have issued such death threat on election riggers are former Governor of Ekiti State, Dr. Ayodele Fayose.
Fayose during preparation to the recent Ekiti State governorship election was quoted as saying “Oshiomole’s secret plan to use his fraudulent Edo template in Ekiti will never work and it will attract injurious consequences. This is because Ekiti people are resolutely determined to resist rigging right on the spot."
Similarly, the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike was caught on tape threatening to kill INEC officials who refused to be compromised during a rerun election in the state. Recently, the same Rivers Governor also threatened to kill any opposition party member who would try to rig the 2019 general elections. His words; “To defend this democracy is a duty that we are ready to undertake. You cannot push the people to this level. They are pushing people to self-defence. If they can do that to a sitting governor, what will happen in 2019."
“They want Rivers State by all means. Even if it means killing 500 people. But they will die, not us. We are prepared for the elections because we have something to tell the people."
Also, the national chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Prince Uche Secondus was recently quoted to be declaring war, should the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC try to rig the 2019 general elections.
Secondus was quoted saying "“Today by your mandate, we warn INEC and we believe that there are good people in INEC. We know that government is pressurising INEC to rig this election but if they rig this election, na war them they look for. So if they want peace, make them no rig the election because everybody is ready for this election.
“We also want to advise our security agencies and we know that they are good people, protecting lives and property, which is their primary responsibilities. We believe that they will obey our constitution and not break it like Mr. President that is breaking our constitution. They will obey the constitution and be neutral but if they don’t, if they join hands with INEC to rig the election, wetin them dey look for?
“War,” the people replied.
“Therefore, we advise all Nigerians, on that day on the 16th February, let them come all out to vote and stand by their ballot boxes and vote and defend their votes because all Nigerian votes must count,” he said.
Election is not war, both parties should let the peoples' will prevail.
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