Jonathan Warns against Extra-judicial Killings
Buhari didn’t order Nigerians to be shot summarily,Tinubu clarifies killings violates constitution, Dogara insists President’s call for extra-judicial
Former President Goodluck Jonathan has charged security operatives to demonstrate their goodwill towards peaceful elections by desisting from extra-judicial killings.
However, the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, yesterday clarified that President Muhammadu Buhari never ordered security agencies to shoot Nigerians summarily.
Despite what seems like Tinubu’s clarification, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Yakubu Dogara, has described President Buhari’s statement as a call for extra-judicial killings, saying it clearly indicates that the country’s democracy has become the victim of a full-blown dictatorship.
Speaking yesterday when youth groups in the Niger Delta led by the President of the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Mr. Pereotubo Oweilaemi, paid him a courtesy visit at the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation (GJF) office in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, Jonathan also called on Nigerian youths to be peaceful and eschew violence all through the period of re-scheduled general election.
“Without peace, there cannot be development in the society. If we want to develop Nigeria as leaders and citizens, then collectively we must work hard and make sacrifices that will bring peace to our country.
“When we have conflicts, it creates a very negative impression in the society, and investors are very mindful of these impressions. The most fundamental tool for building an economy of a nation is peace.
The former President also charged security operatives to demonstrate their goodwill towards peaceful elections by desisting from extra-judicial killings.
He said: “Anytime someone dies extra-judicially, it reduces the integrity of the country. So, if our security personnel are interested in peace, especially during this electioneering, then they must do everything to suppress extra-judicial killings; because when one person is killed unlawfully, it affects everyone.”
Speaking earlier on the purpose of the visit, Oweilaemi said their visit was to align themselves with the peace philosophy of Jonathan that “nobody’s ambition is worth the blood of any Nigerian.
Oweilaemi, in his speech, said: “During your time as President, you emphasised that nobody’s blood is worth your ambition. You didn’t just say it, but you live by it everywhere you go. You have always placed national interest above personal interest”.
Meanwhile, Tinubu yesterday argued that President Buhari never ordered security agencies to shoot Nigerians summarily.
Speaking with journalists in Abuja at the end of the APC caucus meeting, he said the president was misinterpreted.
He said the president at the meeting only reinforced that those involved in ballot box snatching will be doing it at the risk of their lives.
Tinubu said “I was in that meeting; the president was just reinforcing the fact that if you are out there snatching ballot boxes, and causing destructions, you are at risk of your own life. Whatever happens to you; no president will give an order that his own citizens should be shot summarily, No! No, its okay, emotions are running high these days. Any individual, including myself can be misinterpreted.
“These 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. Now, let me run this; he has been fighting Boko Haram, kidnappers and all these before this election; did you hear him asking them to be shot and executed summarily?”
Asked if the postponement of the elections has cast doubt on the credibility of INEC, he said “It depends on how it is handled and the process. How the process is managed; you can convert 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 ordered the anger, the disappointment, no party can reverse that. So, we are ready for February 23,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dogara, has described President Buhari’s statement as a call for extra-judicial killings, saying that it clearly indicates that the country’s democracy has become the victim of a full blown dictatorship.
The Speaker stated this yesterday during a press conference, while reacting to the statements made by the President and the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at the national caucus of the party yesterday in Abuja.
Dogara described Oshiomhole’s claim that the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was given prior notice of the postponement of the elections as a blackmail.
He condemned Oshiomhole over what it described as false, mischievous and inflammatory claims against the party, when he said that INEC colluded with PDP to abort last week’s elections.
Dogara said it was a very surprising statement considering the fact that the federal government controls every institution and agency involved in the electoral process, including the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Nigerian Air Force, aviation authorities among others.
He also noted that the National Chairman of the party, Prince Uche Secondus, was the first to call for an inquiry into why the elections were postponed last Saturday, adding that the party supports a genuine and transparent probe into why the presidential and National Assembly elections could not hold.
Dogara hoped that the president’s inflammatory statement was not a threat aimed at intimidating the electoral commission.
The Speaker said that the PDP strongly believe that the deliberate delivery of election materials to the wrong electoral centres, cancellation of flights, and other actions were deliberately done to sabotage and manipulate the process.
Dogara stated: “These statements clearly indicate that our democracy has become the victim of a fullblown dictatorship, when one considers that a democratically elected President would give a directive that is in clear violation of the laws of the land, which by his oath of office he is to defend and protect.
“In view of this statement by the president, it is obvious that the military has been given a central role and co-opted into the conduct of the elections, despite the fact that they have no constitutional role in our electoral process.
“In this context, we categorically deny these false claims and unnecessary blackmail and regard the President’s statement as a call for extra-judicial killings considering the fact that there are adequate provisions in our laws to address electoral offenses.
“We are also very familiar with the pressure brought on INEC by top government officials and APC leaders to go ahead with the elections despite not being adequately prepared for the election.