PRESIDENT Muhammadu Buhari says those planning to engage in ballot boxes snatching on the day of election should have a rethink.
The President who spoke in Abuja on Monday at an emergency caucus meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) warned that anyone who attempts to snatch ballot boxes on February 23 would be doing so at the “expense of his life”.
“I really gave the military and police order to be ruthless… Anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturbs the voting system, will do so at the expense of his own life,” he said.
WARNING: “I really gave the military and police order to be ruthless… Anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs to snatch ballot boxes or disturbs the voting system, will do so at the expense of his own life." – President @MBuhari. pic.twitter.com/lhvT8yEZR2
— Bashir Ahmad (@BashirAhmaad) February 18, 2019
He also scolded the leadership of the Independent National Electoral Commission for postponing the general elections from February 16 to 23.
Buhari reiterated that he gave the electoral Commission all necessary support to ensure a smooth exercise, but it still displayed “incompetence” and failed to let Nigerians go to the poll as originally scheduled.
INEC under the chairmanship of Mahmood Yakubu had cited widespread logistics mishaps for the “painful” postponement of the election, and promised everything would be in order before the new date of February 23 for presidential and federal parliamentary elections. Statewide elections would now hold on March 9, from the initial March 2.
Buhari also threatened consequences against INEC chairman Mahmood Yakubu, agreeing with the submission of party chairman Adams Oshiomhole that the electoral chief had compromised and was in purported collusion with the opposition Peoples Democratic Party.
The national caucus meeting, which was initially televised for about 30 minutes, was cut off live broadcast after the president’s remarks.
Journalists were also asked to leave the venue to allow for a closed-door session.