2015 Elections: Nigerians Must Resist Pressure From Security Operatives—Kwara Speaker

The Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly and Director General of Kwara State All Progressive Congress 2015 campaigns, Rt. Hon. Razak Atunwa has called on Nigerians to resist pressure and plans by the Peoples Democratic Party and its agents to intimidate voters from participating in the forthcoming elections.

Atunwa who reinstated the Kwara State All Progressive Congress' effort, support and commitment toward a credible and transparent elections urged voters across the nation to resist any form of intimidation from PDP through security forces to disenfranchise them and rig the elections.

While responding to a statement made by the Inspector General of Police, Sulieman Abba who warned voters to go back home after casting their votes on Election Day, Barr. Razak Atunwa said the Police Inspector General has no constitutional right to determine where voters should be after casting their votes on election day.

In a statement issued to newsmen by his media office, Rt. Hon. Razak Atunwa said "The so called warning issued by Sulieman Abba is an attempt to subvert the vibrant foundation and efforts made by INEC to conduct a free and fair polls and cause undue apprehension and confusion among voters ahead of polls. The electoral law articulately empowers voters with the right to wait after casting their votes maintaining a distance of 300 meters to the ballot box.

"The Inspector General of Police is disrupting the provision of the electoral law and his objectives must be swiftly checked by the law. It is disappointing and shameful that Sulieman Abba is fond of promoting unconstitutional conducts. If we recall, in October 2014, Sulieman Abba unconstitutionally withdrew the security details of the House of Representatives Speaker, Rt. Hon. Aminu Tambuwal which were only restored after four months.

"Similarly, Sulieman Abba has been weak in disciplinary actions within the Police Force. He has been unable to coordinate his men responsibly which explains why AIG Joseph Mbu made a controversial statement that twenty people will be killed for each Policeman killed during the forthcoming elections. The vibrancy of discipline in the system is weak, the Police Force IG should stop intimidating Nigerians ahead of polls, its primal functions are to protect the masses during the elections and ensure a free and fair polls" he stated.

Further speaking, Atunwa who had earlier expressed disappointment in the "do or die" political approach of the PDP toward the elections, having its campaigns in Kwara and other parts of the country marked with pockets of violence has called on Nigerians to fully concentrate on the mission to deliver the country from bad leadership and look away from intimidation plans of the People's Democratic Party.

"People's Democratic Party has become very unpopular among Nigerians and all its rigging plans have failed irrecoverably, their last option is to intimidate and scare Nigerians from exercising their franchise by creating a tensed voting environment on the day of election.

"Nigerians must summon rare courage, we must exercise historic bravery, come out en mass on Election Day, cast our votes and stay until the votes are counted and announced before us" he added.