Poll shift: NSA’s security crisis joker fraudulent, says Buhari

The presidential candidate of the
All Progressives Congress, Maj. Gen
Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), says
the Independent National Electoral
Commission may have been
compromised since it was forced to
postpone the February elections.
Buhari said in a statement on
Sunday that INEC should not be
blamed for the poll shift as it was
boxed into a corner.
He, therefore, urged his supporters
to remain calm as the Peoples
Democratic Party would not
succeed at the polls next month.
Buhari said it was suspicious that
after the National Security Adviser,
Col. Sambo Dasuki (retd.), failed to
make INEC postpone the elections
based on the inability of some
Nigerians to get their Permanent
Voter Card, Dasuki then came up
with the issue of security at the last
minute.
He said, “Following the decision by
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 APC.
“This postponement, which comes
on the heels of the bogey of the
NSA 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.”
The former head of state urged his
supporters not to take the law into
their hands as this could compound
the insecurity in the nation.
He, however, urged them to see
the postponement as an
opportunity to strengthen their
resolve for change.
Buhari added, “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.
“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 for
those who would want to exploit
every situation to frustrate the
democratic process in the face of
certain defeat at the polls.
“If anything, this postponement
should strengthen our resolve and
commitment to rescue our country
from the current economic and
social collapse from this desperate
band. Our desire for change must
surpass their desperation to hold
on to power at all cost.”