Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, has said categorically that the commission would be guided by the provisions of the law in dealing with electoral offenders and not by the threat to life directive of President Muhammadu Buhari.
He disclosed this while fielding questions from reporters and observers after his briefing on Tuesday in Abuja. While responding to a question on his thoughts about the President’s directive to security agencies and the military to deal ruthlessly with ballot-box snatchers, the INEC Chairman said the provisions of the Electoral Act are clear on the fate of electoral offenders, adding that only these provisions would guide the action of the commission.
President Buhari had at the APC caucus meeting Monday in Abuja warned that ballot box snatchers would pay with their lives should they attempt to carry out their illicit act during elections.
But the Presidency says that Buhari’s comment on ballot box snatchers is a “strong message’’ against the long history of savagery associated with elections in the country.
Speaking to State House Correspondents on Monday, Presidential Spokesperson, Malam Garba Shehu, said that the president had the safety and security of Nigerians uppermost in mind when he made the comment.
He said, therefore, that the president should be praised rather than criticised for issuing “the stern warning to potential ballot box snatchers’’.
Shehu recalled some past elections in parts of Nigeria, during which voters lost their lives while ballot boxes were being snatched by armed thugs.
He said: “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 North Central 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.
“This is because our security agents will certainly not stand by, clap for them and watch them kill and maim.’’
The presidential aide expressed concern about those attacking the president’s comment, and their worry over the fate of anyone caught snatching ballot boxes.
“This sounds like members of the opposition, specifically the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who have perfected plans to rig the elections and to snatch ballot boxes.
“They can tell that President Buhari is not prepared to tolerate their antics this time around, and they are afraid. They have shown their intent,” he said.
He noted that no one had anything to fear from the president’s comments if their consciences and intentions were clear.
“Let’s just have free and fair elections and no one need worry about anything,” Shehu stated.
