Congress (APC) has expressed fear over emerging plot to destabilise the
rescheduled presidential elections, adding that there were also plot to
leave the Presidential candidate of the People Democratic Party (PDP)
Atiku Abubakar, vulnerable during the election.
According to him, it was reliably gathered that the ruling party is
allegedly working in connivance with the Army authorities alongside thugs
and selected militants, who will be dressed in army attire and mandated to
pose as real soldiers with the aim of causing mayhem in selected
opposition strongholds during Saturday’s election.
In a statement signed Thursday in Abuja, Frank said latest information
which was released by a top General in the Army suggested that “a Special
Masked Squad will be deployed to Adamawa with the sole purpose of ensuring
that voters are intimidated and disenfranchise, while the order to hide
under the guise of the unrest in the North-east will be used to blow the
situation out of proportion and eventually compromise the security
architecture leaving the PDP candidate vulnerable, and open for any
planned attack aimed particularly on the PDP Presidential Candidate,
Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“Suffice to note, that the Press Conference of the Nigerian Army held at
the instance of the Army Chief with some of its commanders confirms our
earlier fears, that the Army Chief has clearly taken a position as regards
the forthcoming elections. Issuing a false statement on the advice given
to the army by the PDP candidate and requesting an apology is an all time
low for a revered government institution like the Nigerian Army.
According to the statement, the PDP candidate merely highlighted a Court
decision where the military was barred from polling units in the wake of
the 2015 general elections, and reiterated that the military had no
business with carrying out unlawful orders base on lay down provisions in
the electoral act.
“General Buratai must be reminded that he has a duty in protecting the
territorial intergrity of the Nigerian nation and not being outrightly
partisan as exhibited in his press briefing to top commanders yesterday.
He must also be aware that any plan to assist the ruling party in
subverting the wishes of the people, by way of compromise or Favouratism
will have dire consequences as no one is larger than the Nigerian nation.
Moreover power is transient and the atrocities of today carried out with
impunity will surely have it’s payback time.
Nigerians must be allowed to choose who governs them as enshrined in the
constitution and any attempt to alienate that right will ultimately be
resisted by all peace loving Nigerians. I must therefore remind Gen
Buratai that we are in a democracy and anything short of being democratic
will be met with stiff resistance and the outcome would lay solely on his
actions and inactions.
“Finally let me also alert Nigerians that we’re aware that there’s been
insurmountable pressure on the electoral umpire (INEC) to still carry out
staggered elections in some selected states with a view to compromising
the elections despite INECs assurances of its readiness in ensuring total
election compliance in the 36states.
“The Director Operations may have already been compromised, having been
pressured by the conduit of the ruling party (Mrs Amina Zakari) serving
as an eye for the ruling party. I would therefore kindly advise the INEC
chairman not to avail himself to this ungodly wicked act, but to rather
maintain his integrity as Nigerians and the international community will
hold him directly responsible in the event of subverting the will of the
people.”
He, however commended the international observers for their patience and
asked that they use all international standards in adjudging the
credibility of the coming elections.