PDP’s insistence to use soldiers for polls ploy to rig—Arewa chair Coomassie
The insistence of the Federal Government on deploying soldiers for security duties during the forthcoming elections is all about subverting the will of the people.
That is the consensus of a cross section of Northern leaders in reaction to a statement by the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation that there is nothing wrong in the planned deployment of the soldiers.
Spokesman for the campaign organisation,Mr.Femi Fani-Kayode , had claimed that for opposing the deployment of the soldiers,the APC intended to cause security breaches in the country in the weeks ahead.
Responding,however, Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmadu Coomassie faulted the use of militrymen during the polls,saying it is aimed at rigging the election.
His view is shared by Second Republic member of the House of Representatives,Dr.Junaid Mohammed, Deputy Senate President in the Second Republic ,Alhaji Abubakar Mamman Dan Musa,former Governor of the old Katsina state, Alhaji Lawal Kaita,and the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation.
They argued that no section of the Constitution prescribes a role for the military in the electoral process.
Coomassie said that the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation is only afraid of the outcome of the presidential election, hence its call for the involvement of the military in the polls with a view to intimidating the people.
“ It is not the responsibility of the other security agencies to maintain law and order in case of any eventuality during elections. It is the duty of the police and SSS. Therefore, until the police and SSS say they cannot do it alone that is when you consider the use of soldiers,” Coomassie said.
“Even at that, they are not expected to be at the polling units. So, those calling for the use of the military are only undermining the capacity of the police. It is the duty of the police to write to other security agencies if they require any assistance.”
For his part, Dr. Junaid Mohammed declared the planned use of soldiers during the elections as unconstitutional and irresponsible.
His words: “ certainly, I am not surprised by the call, considering those who constitute the Jonathan campaign organisation. They think, in their own senses, that majority of Nigerians are in support of the President and as such, they can use that to intimidate everybody. But, as far as I am concerned, the campaign is not even on ground anywhere in Nigeria.
“They believe that because the uniformed men are paid by the government, they will definitely support President Jonathan, but the uniformed men themselves who I believe are not more than 500,000 cannot control 170million Nigerians, in case of any eventuality. Besides, there is no guarantee that everybody in the military and paramilitary is a supporter of the PDP or Jonathan himself.
“It is unconstitutional for the military to be used in the election process. Therefore, anyone claiming to be a democrat must also condemn it, because it is a plan to rig the elections.
“I am completely opposed to soldiers getting involved in our election. The rigging of election in Ekiti is still fresh in our memory.
“I am a democrat. I believe in the rule of law and also believe that democracy without the rule of law is a functional impossibility. There is already a ruling by the Federal Court of Appeal that no soldiers should be deployed for the conduct of the election.
“Even before the latest ruling of the Court of Appeal, neither the Constitution nor the Electoral Act envisaged any role for soldiers.
“The most honest and prudent way forward for this country and for the President and his party would be to facilitate the holding of honest and credible election—free of violence, free of any intimidation, free of rigging and free of any electoral malpractices.
That is the consensus of a cross section of Northern leaders in reaction to a statement by the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation that there is nothing wrong in the planned deployment of the soldiers.
Spokesman for the campaign organisation,Mr.Femi Fani-Kayode , had claimed that for opposing the deployment of the soldiers,the APC intended to cause security breaches in the country in the weeks ahead.
Responding,however, Chairman, Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), Alhaji Ibrahim Ahmadu Coomassie faulted the use of militrymen during the polls,saying it is aimed at rigging the election.
His view is shared by Second Republic member of the House of Representatives,Dr.Junaid Mohammed, Deputy Senate President in the Second Republic ,Alhaji Abubakar Mamman Dan Musa,former Governor of the old Katsina state, Alhaji Lawal Kaita,and the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation.
They argued that no section of the Constitution prescribes a role for the military in the electoral process.
Coomassie said that the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation is only afraid of the outcome of the presidential election, hence its call for the involvement of the military in the polls with a view to intimidating the people.
“ It is not the responsibility of the other security agencies to maintain law and order in case of any eventuality during elections. It is the duty of the police and SSS. Therefore, until the police and SSS say they cannot do it alone that is when you consider the use of soldiers,” Coomassie said.
“Even at that, they are not expected to be at the polling units. So, those calling for the use of the military are only undermining the capacity of the police. It is the duty of the police to write to other security agencies if they require any assistance.”
For his part, Dr. Junaid Mohammed declared the planned use of soldiers during the elections as unconstitutional and irresponsible.
His words: “ certainly, I am not surprised by the call, considering those who constitute the Jonathan campaign organisation. They think, in their own senses, that majority of Nigerians are in support of the President and as such, they can use that to intimidate everybody. But, as far as I am concerned, the campaign is not even on ground anywhere in Nigeria.
“They believe that because the uniformed men are paid by the government, they will definitely support President Jonathan, but the uniformed men themselves who I believe are not more than 500,000 cannot control 170million Nigerians, in case of any eventuality. Besides, there is no guarantee that everybody in the military and paramilitary is a supporter of the PDP or Jonathan himself.
“It is unconstitutional for the military to be used in the election process. Therefore, anyone claiming to be a democrat must also condemn it, because it is a plan to rig the elections.
“I am completely opposed to soldiers getting involved in our election. The rigging of election in Ekiti is still fresh in our memory.
“I am a democrat. I believe in the rule of law and also believe that democracy without the rule of law is a functional impossibility. There is already a ruling by the Federal Court of Appeal that no soldiers should be deployed for the conduct of the election.
“Even before the latest ruling of the Court of Appeal, neither the Constitution nor the Electoral Act envisaged any role for soldiers.
“The most honest and prudent way forward for this country and for the President and his party would be to facilitate the holding of honest and credible election—free of violence, free of any intimidation, free of rigging and free of any electoral malpractices.
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