#NigeriaDecides2019: Buhari’s comment on Ballot Box Snatching Promotes Jungle Justice – Oby Ezekwesili

Former Education Minister, Oby Ezekwesili, has faulted President Buhari’s call for security agents to be ruthless on Ballot box snatchers during the general elections.

President Buhari at an APC meeting yesterday said he has given the military and the police the go-ahead to be ruthless on anyone that wants to cause problems during the elections, adding that anyone that attempts to snatch ballot boxes does so at the risk of paying with his or her life.

Reacting via her Twitter handle, Ezekwesili said the president’s comment is clearly promoting jungle justice.

Please get the Attorney General to walk over to the Villa and show @MBuhari that Sec.129 (4) of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) provides that, any person who snatches or destroys any election material commits an offence and is liable on conviction to 24 months imprisonment✍🏾

— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) February 18, 2019

A President , @MBuhari makes a statement that clearly promotes jungle justice during elections with zero nuance to what he said and you have some young fellows defending this with their lives? May God help those of you that cannot see where this could lead on Election Day.

— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) February 18, 2019

There must be a policing system that makes it difficult for anyone to walk into Polling Units bearing weapons of any kind and a process for dealing with die-hards that violate this.
That statement by the President can easily be misused by trigger-happy security personnel. Sad.

— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) February 18, 2019