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Tag: President Muhammadu Buhari

  • Buhari’s order to shoot ballot-box snatchers, invitation to anarchy – PDP Chieftain

    Chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Okpe Local Government Area of Delta State, Honourable Kennedy Eyube, has said that the President Muhammadu Buhari’s order to the military to shoot ballot-box snatchers in the forthcoming general elections, was an invitation to anarchy.

    Ayube, a former House of Representatives Candidate for Okpe Sapele Uvwie Federal Constituency under the All Progress Congress APC, said the order by the President may also lead to war.

    The PDP chieftain who spoke to journalists in Warri said Nigeria has laws stipulated in the Constitution to deal with electoral offenders.

    While wondering why a president of a country should order the military to kill the people he swore to defend, Eyube added that the president’s directive was a disgrace to the nation, calling on the president to withdraw the order.

    He urged security personnel to ignore the president’s order and follow due process while dealing with fellow Nigerians who might have committed any electoral offence.

    Eyube said that the order might be an attempt to justify and cage opposition leaders during the election and tag them as ballot Box Snatchers.

    “Nigerians are tired of Buhari Government because there is too much killings. He knows they will not vote for him. That is reason for all these. If not how can a president want to kill his own people?” Eyube queried.

    Honourable Eyube said that despite the attempt by Mr President to threaten Nigerians so that his party can have a field day during the election, Nigerians are resolute in voting for the PDP in the general election.

    “During the PDP administration a bag of rice was N8,000 and a litre of fuel was N87 naira. But today, under the APC government a bag of rice is about N25,000 and a litre of fuel is N145 naira. So Nigerians are tired of the APC government. They want to change the change by 23 March 2019 by voting out the APC,” Eyube said.

    Eyube also lauded the developmental stride of Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, saying Governor Okowa has turned the state into a ‘Construction Site,’ adding “if you are going to Asaba from Ughelli you will see the massive works going on. So I don’t see any other candidate other than Okowa.

    “For this reason and other reasons Okpe Local Government is 100% in support PDP and the people are going to give Governor Okowa and PDP 5/5 in the forthcoming general elections”, he said.

  • Osinbajo expected in Ilorin Thursday for door to door campaign

    Vice President Yemi Osinbajo is expected in Ilorin on Thursday in continuation of his door to door campaign for the re-election of President Muhammadu Buhari and other APC candidates.

    In a statement on Wednesday in Ilorin, the Coordinator, Field Operations Directorate of Buhari/Osinbajo Project, Mr Olorin Adebayo, called on the people of the state to come out enmass to receive Osinbajo.

    “We are calling on Kwara residents to come out en mass to receive Nigeria’s number two citizen as they did last week when the president visited the state.

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    “The last time the Vice President was in Ilorin, he was equally received by a mammoth crowd.

    “We must repeat that feat, the people should troop out to receive the Vice President,’’ Adebayo said.

    The coordinator expressed gratitude to the leadership of the party for putting Kwara on its A list.

    “We shall reciprocate this very kind gesture with our votes on Saturday,” he said. (NAN)

  • Atiku is desperate to be president – APC chieftain

    …says, int’l, local gang-up against Buhari will fail

     

    A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), and strong ally of President Muhammadu Buhari, Engr. Kailani Muhammad has said that, the presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is desperate to be president of Nigeria.

    He also said that Atiku Abubakar has bribed Muslim and Christian clerics across the country.

    Muhammad who based his allegation on the recent disclosure by the Chairman Voice of Northern Nigeria Christian Movement, Pastor Kalamu Musa Dikwa that clerics were given N7billion bribe, however, said that those hell-bent on corruption should go on exile, as Buhari will come after them.

    Addressing a press conference in Kaduna on Wednesday, Muhammad said, “Most frightening and daunting of Atiku’s desperation to occupy the presidential villa is manifest in his bribe of Christian and Muslim clerics across Nigeria.”

    According to him, “the Chairman Voice of Northern Nigeria Christian Movement, Pastor Kalamu Musa Dikwa confirmed that clerics were given money. What is surprising is that, they are saying they gave money to Christian clerics, but they did not mention the amount they gave to Muslim clerics. They gave the Christian clerics N7 billion on the 26th January, 2019.

    Read Also: Delta youths endorse Atiku, Okowa others

    “The issue wanted to cause confusion among the clerics, because the following day, the Muslim clerics were given N12 billion,” he said.

    The APC chieftain also alleged that, there is international and local gang-up against the President, which he said will fail, because the masses of Nigeria are with President Muhammadu Buhari.

    According to him, unlike former President Goodluck Jonathan who failed due to such International gang-up in 2015, President Buhari will come out stronger, because he is incorruptible.

    He highlighted the achievements of President Buhari, to include the resuscitation of the railway system, dredging of the Baro Port and Anchor Borrowers project among others.

  • Presidency expresses worry over crisis of youth bulge

    The Presidency yesterday expressed concerned over the impending crisis of youth bulge, saying the challenge should not be left to the military and security agencies alone.

    According to the Presidency, kidnapping for ransoms, armed robbery, insurgency and terrorism have in recent times dominated national security discourses due to the large number of youths involved in crimes and criminality.

    National Security Adviser (NSA) to President Muhammadu Buhari Major General Babagana Monguno (retd) made the remarks at the National Defence College, Abuja,  during a national security seminar with the theme: “Youth bulge in Nigeria: Implications for national security.”

    The seminar was organised by the Alumni Association of the National Defence College (AANDEC) in collaboration with the Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) and the National Defence College, Abuja.

    Monguno said the youth in various countries are rapidly increasing in population and most of them who are unemployed have become willing hands to be used by criminal groups to perpetrate crimes.

    The NSA, who was represented by Director, Counter Terrorism Desk in the ONSA, Rear Admiral Y.E.M. Musa, noted that “the increasing rate of criminality and involvement of the youth has been a major concern to security planners”.

    “This is more so that the solution does not lie solely with the military. Everyone has a role to play towards gainfully engaging the youth beyond seeking white collar jobs. The private sector, civil society, youth leadership and entrepreneurial developers as well as philanthropists would need to take ownership of the solution to the challenges posed by increasing youth numbers.

     

  • PDP jittery over President’s directive

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s warning that ballot box snatchers would be doing so at the risk of their lives during the rescheduled elections has unsettled the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the Presidency concluded yesterday.

    It said that the opposition party is jittery over the President’s directive to security agencies to deal with anybody that attempts to snatch ballot box during the forthcoming elections.

    Reiterating that anyone who dares to snatch ballot box during the elections will be doing it for the last time, the Presidency said that it should be seen as a strong message against the long history of savagery associated with elections.

    Speaking with reporters at the State House, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, recalled how innocent voters lost their lives during ballot box snatching by armed thugs in some parts of the country.

    He said the President had the safety and security of Nigerians uppermost in mind before he made the comment, and should be praised rather than criticised for issuing this stern warning to potential ballot box snatchers.

    Shehu also expressed concern about those attacking the President’s comment, and their worry over the fate of anyone caught snatching ballot boxes.

    He said: “This sounds like members of the opposition, specifically the PDP, which has perfected plans to rig the elections and to snatch ballot boxes.

    “They can see that President Buhari is not prepared to tolerate their antics this time around, and they are afraid. They have shown their intent.”

    Shehu noted that no one has anything to fear from the President’s comments “if their conscience and intentions were clear.”

    He said: “Let’s just have free and fair elections and no one need worry about anything.  Snatching ballot boxes often entails putting the lives of innocent Nigerians at risk. About 10 years ago, evidence was brought before an election tribunal from one of the states in Northcentral of the gruesome killing of 26 prospective voters by ballot box snatchers.

    “Their modus operandi is well known. They storm election venues in commando style, overwhelm the law-enforcement agents and seize ballot boxes leaving a trail of death and injury.

    “Anyone who dares to put the lives of innocent citizens at risk in their desperation to rig elections must be prepared for the possibility of losing their own lives because our security agents will certainly not stand by, clap for them and watch them kill and maim.”

  • Keyamo, Melaye clash over Buhari’s ballot snatching statement

    The Director, Strategic Communication of President Muhammadu Buhari, Festus Keyamo and Senator Dino Melaya of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Tuesday clashed over the President statement on punishment meant for those who snatch ballot boxes.

    At a political discussion on Channels Television, Keyamo said the President merely justified the position of the law, which outlines punishment for those who used forceful means to dispossess of their right to free electoral participation.

    He said the position of the President was to warn the violent minority who tried to make life unbearable for the peaceful majority.

    Keyamo said the President would not seat aloof, while some thugs tried to derail the free will of the people to decide how they wanted to be governed.

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     He said: “What the President said is 100 per cent correct. The law is that when you are caught at the scene of an attack, for fomenting violent, like ballot snatching, that is you have threatened peoples live and the punishment for that is death.

    “Again, when the President said those who snatch ballot boxes, will be punished, he did not mention APC or PDP. He simply said those who snatch boxes, so why is the PDP making issues out of it.”

    Responding, Malaye said the President statement was too harsh, noting that people could only by punished after going through due process and found guilty of the offences they are accused of committing.

    He said government position amount to curing illegality with illegality, noting that it leaves the electoral process in a precarious situation.

    “We are supposed to be in a civilized country, where there should be decorum. It is so appalling that such a statement emanated from the President.  And instead of apologizing, the APC is trying to justify the statement of the President.”

  • PDP alleges plots by Buhari, APC to truncate democracy

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) yesterday alleged plots by President Muhammadu Buhari and the All Progressives Congress (APC) to trigger widespread political crises, aimed at derailing the democratic process and plunging the nation into anarchy.

    It faulted the President’s directive to the security agencies to deal ruthlessly with ballot box snatchers and others that may act in ways that could threaten the electoral process.

    In a statement yesterday by its spokesman Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP viewed the President’s directive as “threat to the lives of Nigerians”.

    The President had, during the APC caucus meeting held in Abuja yesterday, said anyone caught snatching ballot boxes should consider the offence the very last they would ever commit.

    But the PDP said President Buhari was calling for jungle justice and attempting to divert public attention from details of APC’s caucus meeting where the President issued the warning.

    The PDP statement reads: “We do hope that this call by President Buhari is not a camouflage for the fake soldiers mobilised by the APC to shoot at innocent Nigerians, snatch ballot boxes and execute their rigging plans on the Election Day. It is indeed a licence to kill, which should not come from any leader of any civilised nation.

    “The underlining fact to the above is that President Buhari and APC leaders, upon getting to their voting constituencies last Saturday, realised that there was a nationwide rejection of Buhari’s re-election bid, and this has thrown them into a panic mode.

    “President Buhari must, however, bear in mind that his resort to threats and scaremongering will not deter Nigerians from coming out en masse to vote him out of office on February 23.

    “We are aware that President Buhari, who had earlier boasted that nobody can ‘unseat’ him, is bent on using every dictatorial act to truncate the process of a free, fair and credible election.”

    The party also claimed that intelligence available to it showed that the Buhari Presidency had directed the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to reshuffle the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs).

    According to the PDP, the alleged deployment was for INEC to deploy “compromised” officials to manipulate the electoral process in the President’s favour “as they did with the police shortly before February 16”.

    The PDP said “It’s also aware of the pressure allegedly being mounted by the Buhari Presidency on INEC to cancel elections in some states and make others inconclusive so as to achieve the President’s objectives of a staggered election not minding the crisis such will trigger across the federation”.

    “We want Nigerians and the international community to hold President Buhari personally responsible for any electoral crisis, otherwise he will as usual, claim that he was not aware of the plots and transfer the blame to Adams Oshiomhole and Rotimi Amaechi.

    “It is already known that President Buhari has been unrelenting in his attempts to subdue our democracy by trying to subjugate the legislature, emasculate the judiciary and seize control of the electoral umpire.

    “Nevertheless, the PDP wants to assure President Buhari that our nation is bigger than him and that Nigerians will never allow him and the APC to rig this election.

    “Nigerians have reached an irreversible democratic consensus to vote Buhari out and elect the people’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, who is ready to rescue our nation from the hardship, anguish, agony and bloodletting which the Buhari administration has plunged us,” the statement added.

  • Reactions trail Buhari’s comment on ballot box snatchers

    President Muhammadu Buhari’s recommendation of maximum punishment for ballot box snatchers drew reactions from various quarters yesterday.

    The President’s comment triggered arguments among senior lawyers with some pitching tent with the President.

    They said that only those with the intent to snatch ballot boxes will be afraid of such remarks. Others felt that such directive, if carried out, would amount to extra-judicial killing.

    House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara faulted the directive.

    Dogara told reporters yesterday in Abuja that the President’s directive amounted to a call for extrajudicial killings of would be electoral offenders.

    He 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 coopted into the conduct of the election despite the fact that they have no constitutional role in our electoral process”.

    Lagos lawyer Femi Falana said Buhari must have made the statement to scare riggers.

    He said: “I want to believe that the President made the statement with a view to instil fear in the polluted minds of intended ballot snatchers. Without any attempt to support electoral offenders the act of snatching ballot boxes does not attract the death penalty. In fact it is a misdemeanor whose penalty is 24 months imprisonment by virtue of section 129(4) of the Electoral Act. “I plead with security officers not to risk their own lives by engaging in extrajudicial killing of ballot snatchers and other electoral offenders. It may interest President Buhari to know that due to the culture of impunity in the land the hundreds of electoral offenders including sponsors and perpetrators of politically motivated killings arrested by the police in the last six months have been let off the hook due to pressure from highly connected criminally minded members of the political class. I am tempted to call on the Attorney-General of the Federation, Mr. Abubakar Malami (SAN) to advise the President to withdraw the illegal directive as soon as possible because similar illegal orders of two former Presidents of had led to the brutal massacre of unarmed people in Odi, Bayelsa State (1999), Zaki Biam, Benue State (2001) and Gbaramotu, Delta State (2009),” he said.

    Lawyer and human rights activist Monday Ubani hailed the Buhari’s directives.

    He said the only way to ensure that the election would be free and fair is to have the ballot boxes and voters protected by security agents at the polling units.

    Ubani cited the case of Abia State where he alleged that election results had been prepared for election that was postponed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).  “I travelled to my village in Abia last Saturday for the election. The party that wrote the election results has been threatening people not to come out this Saturday for voting if they love themselves. They have hired thugs from neighbouring states to disrupt the rescheduled election on Saturday. This is why I’m supporting the President’s directives that those involved in rigging should be severely dealt with. The Federal Government should massively deplored military and police to polling units”.

    The Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Lagos State, Joe Igbokwe, said the directive was timely.

    He said: “Election rigging is worse than robbery; it has become a way of life because since 1999 no one has been brought to book”.

    Igbokwe said with this directive President Buhari would restore sanity to our electoral process. This is the kind of change I voted for.

    But the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) spokesman in Lagos State, Taofik Gani, described the president’s directive as a panicky measure. He said the directive is capable of sending wrong signal to innocent voters who may decide not to come out to exercise their civic duties out of fear.

    To him, armed security men should keep away from the polling units. Anyone found rigging should be arrested and prosecuted.

    Southwest APC chieftain Ayo Afolabi said snatching the ballot is like snatching peoples’ hope and aspiration.

    “For someone to go out of his way, to start snatching ballot boxes, amount to snatching the future of Nigerians. So, if the man snatching ballot boxes loses his life in the process, to hell with him,” he said.

    Lagos State APC chieftain Lanre Razak said whoever “tries to disturb the process of election is trying to plunge the country into chaos and probably war”.

    He said: “The President is not saying they should shoot them, but the punishment for people who are trying to plunge the only country we have into anarchy is severe punishment. The President is saying that the existing laws provide for punishment.”

    Seyi Sowemimo SAN, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN) and lawyer-activist Jiti Ogunye said it was wrong to see the president’s comments as a call to security forces to kill or harm innocent people.

    But Sebastine Hon (SAN), Sylva Ogwemoh (SAN) and Abiodun Owonikoko (SAN) said the statement could be interpreted as a call to jungle justice and murder.

    Sowemimo reasoned that the President was merely sending a strong message that electoral offences would no more be tolerated.

    He said: “We should be charitable enough not to ascribe to the President that he wants to encourage security agents to kill people. I think with the postponement and the reasons given for the postponement, you can tell that it’s been a disappointment for everybody, including the president himself and maybe more so for him, because it may have appeared as if it is a failure on his administration.

    “So, I think the man was trying to send a very strong message out there, that all these things that have militated against elections going on, like buildings being burnt down and all that.

    “I think it’s just right that he should let people know that we really can’t afford to have any disruption in our plans anymore. So, I don’t think he’s asking them to murder people.”

    He added: “The duty of the president is to enforce all laws in our country. That’s why they are the executive arm of the government. They are to enforce laws and to stop criminality in the land. So, he’s merely saying the obvious, that ‘I will enforce the law, I will punish the offender according to law’. So, what is unconstitutional about that?

    “There are laws that prohibit crime, electoral offences and so on. So, if you contravene them, he is saying he will enforce the law. He is merely saying the obvious. What is his duty if he cannot say that? Then who else will do it? That’s executive function.”

    Ogunye said there is a constitutional basis for killing an armed ballot box snatcher.

    He said: “When a ballot box snatcher, armed with offensive weapons, including a gun, is shot dead by security agents, he has been brought to justice in accordance with the law.”

    He referred to Section 33(2)(a-c) of the 1999 Constitution.

    It says: “A person shall not be regarded as having been deprived of his life in contravention of this section, if he dies as a result of the use, to such extent and in such circumstances as are permitted by law, of such force as is reasonably necessary –

    “(a) for the defence of any person from unlawful violence or for the defence of property;

    “(b) in order to effect a lawful arrest or to prevent the escape of a person lawfully detained; or

    “(c) for the purpose of suppressing a riot, insurrection or mutiny.”

    But Hon disagreed. He said the president’s order was “ultra vires his powers and is clearly unconstitutional.

    “Section 33(1) of the 1999 Constitution has guaranteed right to life as a fundamental right, to be infringed upon only in execution a death sentence imposed by a court of law; or in suppression of a riot/insurrection; or when one is exercising his right of self defence. Snatching of ballot boxes or commission of electoral offences is not one of the exceptions or limitations of right to life.

    “Mr. President’s order is, without any shred of doubt, unlawful, unconstitutional, null and void. Nobody should obey such an order. The international community, perhaps in hindsight, preempted the President, when it issued stern warnings against instigating, ordering or participating in violence during the election period.

    “Let me quickly add that pronouncements like this further alienate Nigeria from the enlightened global community and regress us to the backward abyss of time. I advise the President to withdraw that directive without delay.”

    For Ogwemoh, the comment was “sad”, coming from “the respected office of a President in a democracy.

    “The President cannot be heard to be calling for violence or recourse to self-help in a country regulated by laws. Perhaps if the President had signed the new Electoral Act into law it would have taken care of the seeming frustration inherent in the statement. The point again must be made that no political office, no matter how high it may be, is worth the blood of any Nigerian.”

    Owonikoko viewed the president’s language as being “not too suited for the occasion and time.”

    He said: “As a charge for a battle ready fully mobilized army to be unleashed on an enemy of the state , the President would have scored a (five)-star.  To threaten voters who prove unruly or fall foul of electoral laws with ruthless treatment; or to be prepared to pay with their lives is a cynical euphemism for saying that they will be risking state sanctioned-extra-judicial death.”

     

  • Buhari warns ballot box snatchers

    •Tinubu: President didn’t order Nigerians to be shot summarily •Comment to scare riggers, says Falana

    •When it’s legal, by Ogunye

    President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday warned would-be-ballot box snatchers —it may be your last unlawful action.

    He spoke in Abuja at the opening of an emergency National Caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the party’s secretariat.

    The President also warned politicians, who may be angling to sponsor thugs to disrupt the rescheduled elections. He said that such sponsors would be doing so at a great risk.

    Besides, the last may not have been heard of the 11th hour postponement last Saturday of the Presidential and National Assembly polls by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

    Buhari hinted yesterday that the electoral umpire will have to explain what went wrong – after the elections.

    The President, who got the news of the shift at 4.30am on Saturday described the action as “most unfortunate” because INEC had all the time and the resources to deliver on its mandate.

    “After the elections, we have to know exactly what happened; we cannot accept incompetence,” Buhari said.

    The APC Caucus is a statutory organ of the party chaired by the President.

    Its members include the vice president and all the party’s former and serving governors and members of its National Working Committee (NWC), among others.

    At yesterday’s meeting were: Vice President Yemi Osinbajo; Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan; Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu; National Chairman Adams Oshimhole; governors and senators.

    The President, who had ordered security agencies to ensure free and fair elections, said that such act would be the last unlawful act the ballot snatcher will engage in.

    According to him, he had garnered adequate support of the electorate to guarantee his electoral victory.

    He, however, stressed the need for APC members to reassure their constituents to come out and vote on the rescheduled dates.

    The President said: “I do not expect anybody to cause any disturbance. The security agencies have identified hot spots and flash points and should be prepared to move. We have made as much arrangement as possible for them as much as the country can afford.

    “Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disturb the process, may be that will be the last unlawful action you will take.

    “We have directed the military and other security agents to be ruthless. We are not going to be blamed that we want to rig elections.

    “I want Nigerians to be respected and let them vote whoever they want across the parties. I am not afraid of that. I went round the 36 states and the FCT (Federal Capital City) and I think I have enough support across the country.

    “So, I want to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturb the voting system, he will do it at the expense of his own life.”

    The President also explained that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had all the time and resources and didn’t have to wait for only six hours to cancel the elections and tell the public it was impossible.

    He said: “Definitely, the reason such incompetence manifested has to be explained to the nation. After the elections, we have to know exactly what happened and who is responsible.

    “Otherwise, our efforts to make sure that this system is acceptable would have been eroded. The constitution and the law protected INEC. But they must not take us for granted.

    “If, for example, the National Assembly refused to approve what they wanted, INEC would have had moral reasons why they couldn’t perform. If the time of four years of election was not constitutionally obeyed by the government, INEC would have a case.

    “But we don’t understand the reason for this inefficiency and we have to go into details after the election to find out who is responsible.”

    Lauding the party leadership for its commitment, the President said: “That was why we sat and said we must have committed leaders in all constituencies to be our agents. We also sat down and worked out the least the party should do for our agents so that they will not depend on anybody or say I am going to drink water or I am going to toilet.

    “We made all those arrangements and put it before the governors and chairmen of the parties. Where the APC has no governors, the governorship candidate and state chairmen were given that assignment.

    “I am satisfied that this instruction has been passed down. Right now, we have so much to do and so, we should now go back to our loyal members in all constituencies so that if anything happens, we will know who to blame.

    “We have told our constituents to be patient and react in very mature way by going peacefully and vote and depend on party representatives in the polling units.”

  • Community ends seven-year crisis

    Minister of Labour and Employment Senator Chris Ngige and his Alor community in Idemili South Local Government Area of Anambra State have hailed President Muhammadu Buhari for making it possible for peace to return to the area after seven years of crisis

    Ngige and his kinsmen spoke yesterday at Nkwo Alor market square, after the inauguration of executive members of the town union, led by Chief Uzoma Igbonwa and 17 others.

    The community congratulated the elected officials, urging them to strive to restore peace, unity, harmony, brotherliness and solidarity among Alor indigenes and their neighbours.

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    The community also urged Alor indigenes, both home and abroad, to support the executive to succeed.

    They deplored the actions of some disgruntled elements within the community, who, with the support of the Anambra State government, tried to scuttle the court-ordered election.

    The community appealed to state government to allow democracy thrive in Alor by resisting the pressure from some misguided elements bent on causing trouble and disharmony.