Reactions on Buhari’s Death Threat To Ballot Snatchers

There have been various reactions to the death threat statement made by President Muhammadu Buhari to people who have the intention of snatching ballot boxes on election day.

At the APC caucus meeting held in Abuja on the 18th of February, 2019, President Buhari made a statement, threatening any person with the intention of snatching ballot boxes.

“Anybody who decides to snatch boxes or lead thugs to disturb it, maybe that’s the last unlawful action you’ll take.

“I really gave the military and the police order to be ruthless. We’re not going to be blamed that we want to rig elections. I want Nigerians to be respected. Let them vote whoever they want across the parties.

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

Most of these reactions came from politicians and the All Progressive Party’s opposition.

PDP Chairman Reacts To Buhari’s Death Threat

The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman, Uche Secondus, has reacted to the death threat given to ballot snatchers by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Secondus, according to Channels TV, said Buhari’s statement is a declaration of war on Nigerians., accusing the president of giving security agencies the go ahead to brutalize Nigerians.

“The President’s confirmation that he has directed the service chiefs to kill Nigerians is nothing but a pre-determined script hatched by the ruling party to create voter apathy and implement their result replacement plans using thugs protected by the military”.

The PDP has also described His Excellency’s statement as a call for jungle justice and a plot to distract Nigerians from the APC rigging plans.

SAN Criticizes Buhari Over Death Threat

Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mike Ozekhome has criticised President Buhari for threatening ballot box snatchers with death.

According to Daily Post, Ozekhome also said that the President’s statement is unconstitutional.

“Section 131 of the Electoral Act on the other hand prescribes N1 million fine or 3 years imprisonment for anyone who directly or indirectly inflicts injury on others, or causes harm, violence, or uses duress and undue influence for the purpose of winning an election.

“This statement, to say the least, is not only outrageously unpresidential, but it shows his extreme desperation and panicky mindset.

“For the records, it is the president’s own APC party that has so far been involved, to the knowledge of the whole world, in bizarre acts of electoral malpractices during their primaries, leading to an implosively divided party of disparate and inchoate tendencies”.

Tinubu Defends Buhari’s Statement

The national leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has defended President Muhammadu Buhari’s strong comment against people hoping to disrupt the 2019 general elections.

After the end of the APC caucus meeting, Tinubu said the president’s statement was not meant to be an endorsement of extra-judicial punishment for trouble makers.

“I was in that meeting; the president was just reinforcing the fact that if you are out there snatching ballot boxes, and causing destruction, you are at risk of your own life.

“Whatever happens to you; no president will give an order that his own citizens should be shot summarily. No! No, its okay, emotions are running high these days. Any individual including myself can be misinterpreted.

“These are not his words; he is a law abiding person and he understands categorically and clearly what rule of law is and the lives of individual citizens, that he is in that office to protect.”