Lasun: Military coup unthinkable in Nigeria

The Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yussuf Suleiman Lasun, has said that it is unthinkable for the military to make any attempt to stage a coup in Nigeria.

Speaking at a public hearing on 12 bills to amend the Electoral Act, 2010 organized by the House Committee on Electoral and Political Parties’ Matters, Lasun said Nigeria had gone far with democracy and any move to thwart it would be difficult.

“It might be trivial or right, but what we have heard in the last two weeks, not because of the position we occupy, but because of the level we are in Nigeria today.

“Having practised democracy for 18 years unbroken, I won’t know why some military people want to think that it is time again to come back to the governance of Nigeria; it is going to be a little bit difficult,” he said.

Declaring the hearing open, Speaker Yakubu Dogara said the amendments to the 12 bills was to correct some anomalies that existed in the Nigerian electoral system with a view to strengthening it.

Similarly, the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu, said the amendments would besides strengthening the electoral process provide legal framework for the conduct of elections in Nigeria.

Represented by Barrister May Agbamuche, the INEC chairman expressed gratitude to the chairperson of the committee, Rep. Aisha Dukku and the leadership of the House for the step taken in amending the electoral act.