over his directive to the military to be “ruthless” with ballot box
snatchers.
In a suit filed before the federal high court in Abuja, the party asked
the court to declare that Buhari’s directive is unconstitutional, unlawful
and void.
The party also sued Mohammed Bello, minister of the federal capital
territory (FCT), before a FCT high court over the “gigantic broom” erected
by the All Progressives Congress (APC) near Abuja city gate.
It urged the court to issue an order compelling the minister to
investigate allegations of intimidation and illegality which poses
potential threat of violence and disunity the structure may cause.
The party said this follows the permission of the FCT administration or
its failure to take action against the broom which it said is an “improper
structure”.
On Monday President Muhammadu Buhari said he had given the military and
the police the order to be ruthless, stating that those who snatch ballot
boxes will pay with their lives.
“I really gave the military and police order to be ruthless,” Buhari had
said.
“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.”
The comment was criticised by some Nigerians who described it as
unconstitutional.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said the military has
no business in the election business, and that ballot box snatchers should
not be shot but prosecuted according to the law.
In the suit filed on Thursday, the party asked the court to issue a
declaration that the military are not under any obligation to carry out
the president’s order regarding the elections.
It also asked the court to declare that Buhari lacks powers to deploy
troops of the armed forces for the general election without the approval
of the national assembly.
The party urged the court to issue an order of perpetual injunction
restraining the military from participating “or playing any role
whatsoever” in the general election without the approval of the national
assembly.