A cross-section of Yobe residents has hailed President Muhammadu Buhari’s order to the nation’s s security agencies to deal ruthlessly with anybody or group that might attempt to snatch ballot boxes during the general elections.
Speaking in separate interviews with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Damaturu, the people said that those who had no intentions to snatch ballot boxes during the polls had no reason to worry.
According to Babagana Bulalma, “why should anybody worry about the order?
“Why should one get worried over the president’s order for security to be ruthless on thugs and ballot box snatchers?
“If one has no intentions to cause chaos during the elections why should he be interested in the snatching of ballot boxes or be engaged as a thug.
“Our lives, our wellbeing and the country’s fate depend largely on this democracy and the general elections in particular.”
Bulalma wondered why some unscrupulous politicians should put the country’s fate in jeopardy achieve their selfish interest.
Another resident, Umar Maje described ballot boxe snatching as “coup d’état,” which required tough counter action.
Maje said, “Whoever tried to snatch ballot boxes, has tried to change the constitutional choice and decisions of the people.
“There is no difference between such a person and coup plotters in a country,” he said.
On the contrary, another resident, Bashir Shattima, described the president’s order as wrong, saying that the order contravened the law of the land.
Shattima said that the law should be allowed to take its full course in handling electoral offences “rather than allow for extra judicial action” as implied in the president’s order.
He asked, “What then is the essence of our courts, if such extra judicial order can be made by the president?
He said that the order was tantamount to brazenly inviting the military to do jungle justice.
News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Buhari on Monday ordered security forces to be ruthless against anyone caught snatching ballot boxes after citizens had voted.
He said: “Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disturb the elections, maybe that will be the last unlawful action you will take.
“I have given the military and police the order to be ruthless.
“I am going to warn anybody who thinks he will lead a body of thugs in his locality to snatch ballot boxes or to disturb the voting process; he will do it at the expense of his or her own life.” (NAN)

– Feb. 19, 2019 @ 03:00 GMT |