Dailysunnews9ja.com: Asiwaju Bola Tinubu

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Monday, 18 February 2019

politics February 18, 2019

Daily updates: If You Snatch Ballot Boxes, You Risk Your Life – Tinubu Defends Buhari

If You Snatch Ballot Boxes, You Risk Your Life – Tinubu Defends Buhari

National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, has said President Muhammadu Buhari was ‘misinterpreted’ over his comments on what awaits those who intend to snatch ballot boxes in the forthcoming elections.

President Buhari at the party’s caucus meeting on Monday, said all those planning to snatch ballot boxes may be doing so at the expense of their lives.

Speaking after the meeting, Mr Tinubu said the President’s statement which garnered a lot of reactions, might have been taken out of context.

Tinubu said “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.”

“It’s okay, emotions are running high these days. Any individual, including myself, can be misinterpreted,” Tinubu added.

“These (interpretation) 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.”

He said no president will give an order that his own citizens be shot extra-judicially.

The Co-Chair of the APC’s Presidential Campaign Council, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, spoke with journalists at the party’s secretariat in Abuja, here are some other major topics he spoke about

On Election Postponement…

“By law we should continue to energise our people. It depends on our resources. Because the Electoral Act allows us to continue to campaign and ask us to stop campaigning only 24 hours before the actual election. And once INEC changed the election date to Feb. 23, they have given us the opening to campaign and energise our people. If you have a garden and you don’t nourish it with water, the grass will remain dormant. We don’t want our party to remain dormant.
“This is ability of leadership to convert adversity to opportunity and prosperity and that’s it; that’s what we must do.

On Whether Poll Postponement Will Affect Credibility Of INEC…

“It depends on how it is handled and the new process. How the process is managed? You can convert what appears a crisis, a situation of adversity to an opportunity and progress
The INEC, under the law, is empowered to postpone, cancel and do whatever is necessary to ensure free and fair election.No party other INEC has this power. We can express our anger and disappointment, but no party can reverse what has been done. So, we are ready for Feb. 23.

On President Buhari’s Statement That Those Planning To Rig…

“I was in that meeting; the president was just reinforcing the fact that if you 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 be shot summarily, No! No, its okay, emotions are running high these days. Any individual including myself can be misinterpreted.

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

“Now, let me say this: he has been fighting Boko Haram, kidnappers and all that before this election, did you hear him asking them to be shot and executed summarily?

“If he has gone through that in the last five years, please give him the benefit of the doubt”.

President Buhari’s comments at the APC caucus meeting stirred heated arguments across the country, with many raising concerns that it might encourage violence and jungle justice in the coming polls.

According to Nigeria’s electoral act, the snatching of ballot boxes and destruction of electoral materials leads to a 24-months jail term, not a death sentence.

Peter Gabriel 0

politics February 18, 2019

Daily updates: Persevere Just A Bit Longer As INEC Postpones General Election - Tinubu

Persevere Just A Bit Longer, Tinubu Begs Nigerians As INEC Postpones Elections – Channels Television politics

Former Governor of Lagos State, Bola Tinubu

National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, appealed to Nigerians to remain peaceful following the postponement of the general elections.

He made the plea in a statement on Saturday, hours after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) shifted the polls by one week.

He said;

“Please, persevere just a bit longer to ensure that the elections on February 23 truly reflect the will of the people”

the APC leader begged.

He added,

“Do not allow this delay to deter you from the expression of your democratic rights. What you had set your mind to do on February 16, keep your mind and heart on for February 23.”

Tinubu who said the postponement was painful asked all those who came out to vote and those who intended to do so to maintain their commitment.

He noted the challenges encountered by INEC but raised concern that the commission was unable to address the issues within the time allotted.

“We are also perplexed that INEC literally waited so late in the day to make known the obstacles preventing it from keeping faith to the election schedule,” the former Lagos State governor regretted.

He said,

“INEC could have and should have given the nation more ample and earlier warning. “This could have perhaps lessened the pervasive disappointment that we all now feel.It also would have helped people better order their steps”.

Tinubu’s quotes read, “We have reports of eager voters rising early to leave their homes to cast their ballots only to be told upon arriving at their appointed polling stations that the election had been postponed.

“This should not have happened for it could well discourage people from coming out when the election takes place. Thus, we heartily commend those people for coming out in exercise of their fundamental rights and duties as citizen voters, who vote by vote, seek to build and perfect our democracy.

“For each voter is in part an architect and each one of your votes is a brick by which, when lain together, shall construct a strong democracy in such a way that it shall forever stand and endure.

Thus, we appeal to all who actually came out to vote and to those who intended to vote today, to maintain your commitment. “Do not allow this delay to deter you from the expression of your democratic rights.

What you had set your mind to do on February 16, keep your mind and heart on for February 23. “INEC has stated the reason for the delay and has expressed regret over the inconveniences it has caused.

We must take INEC’s statement at face value and hold to the belief that INEC understands even more than ever the sober and grave responsibility it has to our nation and our democracy.

“INEC can only properly discharge that responsibility by conducting free and fair elections. While we cannot go back to repair what did or did not happen to cause this postponement, we all must encourage INEC to do all that is necessary so voting can smoothly proceed on February 23.

“Whatever our political affiliation, we must encourage INEC to overcome the difficulties in order to rise to this most important occasion. INEC must commit itself more than ever before to perform to its utmost so that these elections will be remembered as a free and fair exercise consonant with the best of international standards.

“In the end, elections must be held in such a manner that every vote carries the same weight and no vote is minimized because elections took place much earlier or later in one place than in another.

Thus, it is better to experience a slight delay to conduct the elections properly rather than to conduct the elections piecemeal and uneven fashion. “No one will absolve INEC if such a fate befalls this all-important election.

The electoral body must use the one-week extension to mend its logistics gaps and lapses. This delay has clearly provoked significant anger and disappointment among the people. “The voters were ready and INEC should have been equally as prepared and ready as the voters.

Yet, we ask that the people contain their anger and remain calm. Let no one be tempted to breach the peace because of this delay. “In the greater scheme of things, a one-week delay is not overly burdensome when compared to the importance of conduct of free and just elections in the establishment of representative democracy and good governance in our land.

“Please, persevere just a bit longer to ensure that the elections on February 23 truly reflect the will of the people. Whatever obstacles may come, be they large or small, let us show the world the Nigerian people will not be deterred from realizing the democracy for which we have fought and sacrificed so long and so hard to achieve”.

Peter Ngbede 0