10 Feb 2015

Another poll delay’ll amount to a coup – Buhari

The Presidential candidate of the All Progressives
Congress, Maj. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd), has
warned that further postponement of the March 28
election by the Independent National Electoral
Commission will amount to "a civilian and military
coup."
While advising INEC to take note of its constitutional
limitations, he also ruled out participation in any
election debate following the postponement of the
elections.
The former Head of State, sounded the warning in an
interview with journalists on Monday in Abuja during a
courtesy call on him by the first elected President of
Malawi and Leader of the Commonwealth Election
Observers Group, Dr. Bakili Muluzi.
He said, "We told them about the change in the dates of
elections and the constitutional limitations of INEC. That
is the last card for INEC and they cannot delay the
elections anymore. So, it is up to the government to
facilitate a free, fair and credible election.
"If they fail to do that then, they will be indulging in a
civilian and military coup because the constitution is
very clear that certain days to the swearing in, there
must be an election which will usher in a new
government. So, there are no more excuses. INEC has
given a document that they are ready for the election.
"They said they had trained their personnel, acquired
equipment and have been distributing voter cards. But
the security chiefs wrote INEC and demanded six more
weeks.
"Okay, they have been given six weeks and that is the
end of it. So we are getting ready for the election of
March 28.
"Our enormous support has grown; we have visited 34
out of the 36 states in the country. It remains two states
and Abuja and that will complete it. We are now
conducting town hall meetings with interest groups,
business people, the elite and youths. I appeal to our
supporters to remain calm."
Asked if he would participate in further debate due to
the shift in presidential election date, Buhari said, "We
are having town-hall meetings and the party (APC) has
taken a superior position."
Muluzi had while thanking Buhari for receiving his team,
said that he had discussions with INEC.
He said, "I am from the Commonwealth and we are
about 11 members who have been drawn from
Commonwealth countries to observe the elections with
some members of staff from London.
"We arrived here on Saturday and we normally arrive in
any country in which we want to observe election five
days before, just to interact with stakeholders and the
leadership to understand the situation on the ground. It
was only on Saturday night that we were informed that
the election will now hold on March 28.
"We met with INEC this (Monday) morning and we
raised some questions and they also answered the
questions. We also thought that there should be an
opportunity to meet the leadership. INEC has postponed
the elections for six weeks.
"I just want to appeal to the Nigerian people, especially
at this time, to remain calm. This is why I do
congratulate him (Buhari) because he has asked his
supporters to remain calm until the election is held on
March 28.
"It is very important, Africa is still very important. We
still have to create employment for our people. And if
we are going to create chaos in our country, we will be
unfair to our people who are looking forward to the
leadership for employment. And therefore peace
becomes very important. I will have to appeal to
Nigerians to remain calm."
Muluzi also said the delegation would meet with
President Goodluck Jonathan to make the same appeal
so that he must appeal to his supporters to remain calm.
Muluzi also said the delegation would meet with
President Goodluck Jonathan to make the same appeal
so that he must appeal to his supporters to remain calm.
Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa'ad Abubakar
III-led Jama'atu Nasir Islam, has warned politicians
against jeopardising the nation's democracy with the
postponment of the elections by INEC.
In its reaction to INEC's decision to delay the polls, the
body also asked politicians to fear God in their actions.
The apex Islamic body said on Monday that political
gladiators should not jeopardise the already tensed
situation in the country.
A statement by the JNI's Secretary-General, Dr. Khalid
Abubakar-Aliyu, in Kaduna on Monday, however, asked
Nigerians to remain calm by not further heating up the
polity.
It said, "The JNI, under the leadership of its President-
General, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and his
lieutenants, after listening to the shift in dates of the
2015 general elections by six weeks, as announced by
INEC, is watching with keen interest the uproar the
decision is currently generating in the country and
therefore calls for caution by all political gladiators.
"They should, in the name of God, not jeopardise the
already tensed situation of grief and anxiety."

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