A pro-Buhari group, Buhari Media Organisation (BMO), has said that President Muhammadu Buhari’s directive that ballot box snatchers should be dealt with has foiled alleged plans by the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to rig the election.
In a Wednesday statement by its Chairman, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Madueke, BMO said that PDP’s “hasty” response to the directive proved that it was not interested in any free and fair election but was more interested in rigging.
The group also accused the PDP of deliberately misconstruing the president’s directive on ballot box snatchers and political thugs.
BMO said that contrary to the position of the PDP, Buhari’s statement did not in anyway promote violence and extra-judicial killing during the election.
According to the statement, “The Peoples Democratic Party knew exactly what the President was talking about , but chose to deliberately misinterpret him.
“Anyone who has no plan to rig the elections has no need to fear the consequences of the actions of ballot snatchers and thugs on the day of elections.
“But being that the PDP had already put on its roadmap and strategy, ballot snatching and thuggery, especially in strongholds of President Buhari, it is worried that the lives of those it has engaged to thwart Nigeria’s elections can no longer be guaranteed.”
The statement further read, “In the last 16 years of our democracy , elections have been marred by violence perpetrated by thugs and ballot snatchers. Innocent people have lost their lives and many others have been injured due to the activities of these thugs.
“President Buhari ’s directive to security agencies is one that is saying that those needless deaths and injuries must be put to an end by bringing those who perpetrate electoral violence to book.”