President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday said his government would soon shock those who are trying to destroy Nigeria, stressing that the administration has given such person enough time for them to stop.
The President made this declaration when he received reports from the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu in Abuja.
He promised to meet all the demands of the commission for the 2023 elections, stressing that the attacks would not stop the elections planned in two years’ time.
Buhari further said that his administration would invest more resources to enable INEC to ensure no election fails. He said this was to ensure that people would not go with the impression that he wants a third term in office.
A statement issued by Buhari’s Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, quoted the President saying that he would ensure INEC is able to carry out its duties “so that no one would say we don’t want to go, or that we want a third term. There will be no excuse for failure. We’ll meet all INEC’s demands”.
Buhari had strong words for those who determined to destroy the country through violent agitations and burning of public national assets.
“I receive daily security reports on the attacks, and it is very clear that those behind them want this administration to fail,” Buhari said.
“Insecurity in Nigeria is now mentioned all over the world. All the people who want power, whoever they are, you wonder what they really want. Whoever wants the destruction of the system will soon have the shock of their lives. We’ve given them enough time,” he said.
Noting that the Service Chiefs and the Inspector- General of Police have been changed, he said the country “will demand security from them.”
Speaking on the attacks on INEC’s facilities, Yakubu said that a total of 42 cases of attacks on INEC offices nationwide had been recorded since the last General Elections.
“The 42 incidents so far occurred in 14 states of the Federation for a variety of reasons. Most of the attacks happened in the last seven months, and they are unrelated to protest against previous elections,” he said.
“From the pattern and frequency of the most recent attacks, they appear to be targeted at future elections. The intention is to incapacitate the Commission, undermine the nation’s democracy and precipitate a national crisis,” Yakubu explained.
