THE Buhari Support Organisation, the umbrella body of All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari’s supporters, has called for the arrest of the spokesman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Presidential Campaign Organisation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, for violating the Electoral Act.
The organisation praised Nigerians for turning out en masse to perform their civic responsibility and for conducting themselves peacefully.
Director of Media and Information Technology Dr. Chidia Maduekwe said at a news conference that Fani-Kayode’s claim that the PDP was leading in 23 states was against the Electoral Act, which empowers only the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to announce such results.
He said: “We strongly condemn the recent outburst and blatant misinformation of the public by Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode that the PDP was leading in 23 states. This claim is a total breach of the Electoral Act and is designed to cause the breach of peace.
“Gen. Muhammadu Buhari had emphasised to his supporters to maintain calm in the face of provocation by the ruling party. This recent utter exhibition of lawlessness enmeshed in the typical character of impunity by PDP is unacceptable.
“We ask the security agencies to effect the arrest of Mr. Fani-Kayode for breaching the Electoral Act, which forbids any organ outside INEC from officially declaring election results. His arrest for further questioning will be an indication that the security agencies are truly unbiased participants in this process as this declaration is also a breach of the 1st and 2nd Abuja Peace Accord.
“We call on the international community and observers to note the steps being taken by PDP to cause severe breach of peace and call them to order. We also ask our supporters to maintain the peace as we await the official announcement from INEC of the authentic result for the March 28 elections.”
Maduekwe added: “The presidential and parliamentary election is a watershed in our march towards credible, fair and free elections in Nigeria. Our gratitude goes to our supporters, who trooped to the various polling units nationwide to vote for our presidential candidate General Muhammadu Buhari despite provocation, particularly in the Southsouth and Southeast.
“Their effort and determination to resist manipulation of the outcome is commendable in the face of tyranny, intimidation, and blatant misuse of the security by PDP/government agents.
“We appeal to our supporters to sustain their calmness in the face of provocation and abuse of our electoral processes.
“Many independent observers have positively commented on the large turnout of voters, especially in the northern and southwestern states of the country and their orderly conduct. General Muhammadu Buhari is so far, doing brilliantly in most polling units nationwide.
“We reject the use of security by PDP government to compromise an election process that has been commended as having high quotient of integrity by the manner voters conducted themselves. A situation where ballot papers are being thumb-printed by security agents with the connivance of PDP is condemnable.
“It is highly regrettable that Senator Goje’s residence should be surrounded by a detachment of armed military officers, thereby undermining his ability to fulfill his fundamental freedom of voting
“The court order that soldiers should not be deployed was openly disobeyed in Edo and Rivers. The question should be: “who gave that order to contravene a judicial pronouncement?”
“The shameful act by the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, in moving his polling unit in Kaduna away from where he registered is questionable. It is contrary to the Electoral Act and such action by the Vice President should be examined and the illegality addressed as these are signs of impunity by the ruling PDP government, which INEC should not treat with levity.
“The gruesome hacking to death of APC supporter by PDP hoodlums and Ijaw militant youth under the watchful eyes of the security should not be wished away. There have been several reported cases of uniformed men caught in the last 48 hours thumb-printing ballot papers for PDP in Port Harcourt.
“Some were caught at Mile 2 and reports were lodged with the police. However, the culprit was released on arriving the police headquarters in Port Harcourt while the APC agent, who made the report, was locked up in a police cell; a clear case of the patriot becoming the offender.
The Bauchi/Gombe incident does not appear to be a Boko Haram attack. It is believed to have been arranged to cause mayhem in the state with the resultant excuse to declare curfew and waste votes in favour of General Buhari.
“From the foregoing, we make bold to request INEC to please, adhere strictly to the guideline, which makes it mandatory for the polling units party agents to sign result sheet, forming the basis for collation of result at collation centres. We have witnessed in many instances, the security dispersing party agents before their duties were fulfilled, leading to the manipulation of the vote count by the security agents with active participation of PDP officials.”
