CSOs seek credible polls, protest at U.S Embassy
A coalition of civil society groups yesterday staged a peaceful protest at the United States Embassy in Abuja to appeal to the country’s leadership and other world leaders to prevail on the Nigerian government to ensure free and credible elections in 2019.
The protesters who sang solidarity songs expressed concern over the conduct of security agencies in the recent by elections in Kwara, Kogi, Bauchi and Katsina states.
The coalition comprised; Concerned Nigerians, Our Mumu Don Do Movement, Coalition in Defence of Nigerian Democracy, Leadership and Accountability Initiative, and Campaign for Democracy.
Speaking on their behalf, Mr Adeyanju Deji of Concerned Nigerians said the partisanship of security agencies during those elections and the recent governorship elections in Osun and Ekiti states were major reasons to be extremely The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has asked President Muhammadu Buhari to provide convincing reasons to the public why soldiers are being frequently killed in the Northeast even as the federal government has all it takes to check it.
The party in a statement yesterday by its National Publicity Secretary, Kola Ologbindiyan specifically asked the president to explain why the government did not act before the killings, especially of over 70 soldiers of the 157 Task Force Battalion in Melete, Borno State by insurgents who reportedly sent a letter last Friday threatening to take over military locations in the area. concerned as the 2019 elections draw near.
He said, “From what we have seen in the recent times, we are very worried that the forthcoming elections in 2019 may not be an election between two or more political parties, but an ignominious battle between security agencies.”
Deji drew the attention of the United States and other allies of Nigeria to what he described as the inhumane and undemocratic scheme of vote buying across the country.
The PDP said its reaction to the incessant killing of soldiers was necessitated by earlier claims by the federal government that insurgents operating in the Northeast had been defeated.
“The party is very worried by reports of alleged compromises, neglect and inattention to military formations in the Northeast, leading to the vulnerability of our beloved soldiers.
“This is in addition to apprehensions by Nigerians that the Buhari presidency has been distracting our military by dragging service chiefs to participate in his re-election campaign activities instead of concentrating on their statutory duties,” the statement said.
The party however noted that
He said the menace of vote buying is a major attempt to subvert the will of the electorate.
The protesters also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to sign the amended electoral bill passed by the National Assembly.
“We believe that the of use card reader which the amended bill enforces as prerequisite for voting would eradicate the use of incident forms which is a veritable way of writing fictitious results in our elections, Deji noted.
PDP tasks Buhari on military casualties
it still has implicit faith in the Nigerian military and urged the Buhari presidency to desist from acts that tend to whittle down the proficiency of the military and compromise the safety of personnel.
“Our party therefore charges President Buhari to be alive to his responsibility as the Commanderin-Chief by immediately reviewing his parade to ensure greater professionalism and welfare of our officers and men.
“Finally, the PDP calls on Nigerians not to despair in the face of this ugly development but continue to join forces with our security agencies in the effort to cleanse our land of bandits, insurgents and marauders,” the party said.