Buhari calls for calm over elections rescheduling
The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari has urged his supporters not to fall into the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP’s) trap of poll shift by resorting to violence. Buhari who addressed a press conference on Sunday evening in Abuja said Nigerians should remain calm and resolute in the face of PDP’s provocation. […]
The All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate Muhammadu Buhari has urged his supporters not to fall into the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP’s) trap of poll shift by resorting to violence.
Buhari who addressed a press conference on Sunday evening in Abuja said Nigerians should remain calm and resolute in the face of PDP’s provocation.
“Following the decision by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to postpone the 2015 general elections by six weeks, I wish to appeal for utmost restraint and calm by all Nigerians, especially the teeming supporters of our great party, the All Progressives Congress (APC),” Buhari said.
The APC flag bearer said: “This postponement, which comes on the heels of the bogey of the National Security Adviser that half of the registered voters were being disenfranchised, was exposed as a crude and fraudulent attempt to subvert the electoral process.
“The PDP administration has now engineered a postponement using the threat that security will not be guaranteed across the length and breadth of Nigeria because of military engagement in some states in the North East. It is important to note that although INEC acted within its constitutional powers, it is clear that it has been boxed into a situation where it has had to bow to pressure. Thus, the independence of INEC has been gravely compromised.”
He said as “a Nigerian and a presidential candidate in the elections, I share in the disappointment and frustration of this decision.
“This postponement coming a week to the first election has raised so many questions, many of which shall be asked in the days ahead. However, we must not allow ourselves to be tempted into taking actions that could further endanger the democratic process,” he added.
“Our country is going through a difficult time in the hands of terrorists. Any act of violence can only complicate the security challenges in the country and provide further justification to those who would want to exploit every situation to frustrate the democratic process in the face of certain defeat at the polls,” the APC presidential candidate said.
He said “I wish to state strongly that our party will not tolerate any further interference with the electoral process. The rescheduled elections of March 28th and April 11th, 2015 must be sacrosanct.”