Opposition parties under the aegis the Coalition of United Political Parties, CUPP, has stated that the President Muhammadu Buhari led Federal Government has plotted to rig the Presidential and National Assembly.
Imo Ugochinyere, CUPP spokesman, in a statement on Thursday, said having realised it would lose, the ruling party has allegedly planned to use security forces to deny the people their will to choose their leaders.It reads: “Having run out of rigging options since it failed in its plot to force staggered elections on the electoral body, the last option left to the Presidency was the use of security forces, a plot unveiled by the President himself at the APC Caucus meeting. “The fuller details instructions of the Chief of Army Staff, COAS and the Inspector General of Police, IGP to compromise the presidential election is by intimidating and harassing voters, blocking of opposition agents from collation centres, arrest of Opposition Leaders , Party agents and media practitioners in the field, leading of APC chieftains to swap already thumb printed ballot papers and filled in result sheets and ultimately use of lethal force against citizens who oppose them.
“It is more worrisome that despite knowing the standard rules of engagement and the obvious consequences of purported obedience to unlawful orders, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen. Tukur Buratai without any modicum of shame publicly accepted that the army will obey the partisan instructions of President Muhammadu Buhari and violate the rights of citizens and be involved in the elections.
“It must have been this position that must have instigated overzealous police officers and soldiers in open show of partisanship to post photos online showing “loyalty” to the President by showing the 4 X 4 sign of the President. Nigerians will recall that this government sacked some personnel of the security forces soon after it came to power in 2015 accusing them of partisanship. Yet it is now celebrating the photos of the officers showing open partisanship in its favour.It is based on the foregoing that the Nigerian opposition hereby passes a nationwide vote of no confidence on the Inspector General of Police and the Chief of Army staff. Both officers have shown without doubt that they are card carrying members of the APC by the action they have taken so far.
“Lt. Gen Tukur Buratai has been promised that he would continue in office as the Chief of Army Staff if the President wins despite his tenure being extended for several years after he was due for retirement. The Inspector General of Police has a similar promise also and has been sucked in.President Buhari is desperate; he knows defeat is staring him in the face. He has only himself to blame for frittering away the massive goodwill of the people. He will be defeated and there is nothing he can do about it. Hence he has turned the Nigerian Army and the Nigerian Police into the most potent threats to free and fair elections in Nigeria.