The Speaker, House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has said President Muhammadu Buhari’s statement at the national caucus of the All Progressives Congress, APC, on Monday was a call for extra-judicial killings in the country.
Recall that Buhari at the caucus meeting said; “Anybody who decides to snatch boxes or lead thugs to disturb the election, may be that would be the last unlawful action you would take.
“I have given the military and police the order to be ruthless. I am going to warn anybody who thinks he would lead a body of thugs in his locality to snatch boxes or to disturb the voting system; he would do it at the expense of his/her own life.”
Dogara, who also recalled the National Chairman of the APC, Mr. Adams Oshiomole to have claimed that the PDP was given prior notice of the postponement of the elections called on well meaning Nigerians and the international community to note the incendiary statements of both the President and the APC National Chairman.
He said; “We categorically deny these false claims and unnecessary blackmail and regard 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 insisted that the statements clearly indicated that Nigeria’s 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.
He pointed out that the statement by the President, was an obvious indication 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.
Dogara expressed the hope that the president’s inflammatory statement was not a threat aimed at intimidating the electoral commission and condemned Mr. Oshiomole’s false, mischievous and inflammatory claims against the PDP, when he said INEC colluded with PDP to abort last week’s elections.
“This is a very surprising statement considering the fact that the Federal government controls every institution and agency involved in the electoral process, including the CBN, Nigerian Air Force, Aviation authorities amongst others.
“We are also very familiar with the pressure brought on INEC by top government officials and APC leaders to go ahead with the elections despite not being adequately prepared for the election. We are also aware the APC wanted the INEC chairman to conduct elections in some states and postpone in other states so as to have staggered elections,” he said.
According to him, the areas that would have been affected by inadequate delivery of materials were PDP strongholds, yet, “the APC in its usual manipulative style is now shifting the blame on INEC leadership while absolving itself and the other institutions of government under its control of any blame. That is the common strategy that super villains always employ.
“Obvioulsy, we know they are doing everything humanly possible to discredit INEC, remove the chairman and stall the process conscious of the fact that they cannot win this election.
The speaker stated that it was obvious from the recent actions and statements by the APC; they were panicking and desperate to cling onto power, even when the people have rejected them.
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He also noted that opinion polls conducted by the APC, and other international agencies clearly indicated that the APC will lose the election anytime it was conducted, saying that was the reasons they were resorting to desperate measures of arm-twisting the electoral commission, undermining the entire process and planning to unleash terror on the country.
He said the PDP, with the support of every well meaning Nigerian, will employ every legitimate means to resist attempts by the APC and the Federal government to undermine and compromise the electoral process and truncate Nigeria’s democracy.
The Speaker said the PDP believed in a united and democratic Nigeria and will continue to do all within its means to protect the country, her people and constitution from undemocratic elements.
The speaker therefore called on all Nigerians not to despair, but turn out en mass on Saturday to vote and defend their votes. “We also urge the international community and their observers that are in the country to monitor the election and be vigilant because their presence as impartial arbiters is important in ensuring we have peaceful, credible, free, fair and transparent elections.
“The security agencies are also enjoined to be impartial and remain loquat to the constitution of the Federal Republic,” he added.
