Promoters of Insurrection Are in for a Rude Shock, Says Buhari

•Vows attacks on INEC’s assets won’t stop future elections
•Reassures Nigerians no third term ambition

By Deji Elumoye

President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday vowed to deal with those bent on destroying the nation through assaults on public buildings and institutions.

He also assured Nigerians that despite security challenges facing the country, all future elections will be conducted as scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Buhari, while receiving a delegation of INEC, led by its National Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at the State House, Abuja, committed his administration to providing adequate financial backing for the commission’s operations.

The INEC delegation came to brief the president on the series of attacks on facilities of the electoral body nationwide.

The deteriorating security situation in the country also engaged the attention of the National Assembly yesterday with the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan, stressing the need for more legislative interventions to secure Nigerians.

He added that the Senate was tired of observing one-minute silence for victims of insecurity.
Media adviser to the president, Mr. Femi Adesina, in a statement issued at the end of the closed-door session with the INEC officials, quoted Buhari as reiterating that he has no intention of staying in office beyond 2023.

On the dangers posed to future elections by the burning of INEC facilities, the president assured the commission that his administration will do all within its powers to mitigate the effects on the conduct of future polls.

He said: “We will do that 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.”

He, however, warned those bent on destroying the country through promoting insurrection, and burning down critical national assets to back off as a rude shock awaits them soon.

“I receive daily security reports on the attacks, and it is very clear that those behind them want this administration to fail.

“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 stated.

Buhari recalled that he visited all the 36 states of the country before the 2019 elections, “and majority of the people believed me, and the election proved it.”

He promised to continue leading the country in accordance with the constitution.

According to him, those misbehaving in certain parts of the country are too young to know the travails and loss of lives that attended the Nigerian civil war.

He added: “Those of us in the fields for 30 months, who went through the war, will treat them in the language they understand. We are going to be very hard sooner than later.”

He stated that the service chiefs and the Inspector General of Police have been changed, “and we will demand security from them.”

Shedding more light on his meeting with the INEC officials via his official Twitter handle, Buhari tweeted: “I received a briefing today from the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, on the series of attacks on their facilities nationwide. These attacks are totally unacceptable, and we will not allow those behind them to achieve their evil objectives.

“I have assured INEC that we will make available to them everything they need to operate efficiently, so that no one will say we don’t want to go, or that we want a third term. There will be no excuse for failure. We will meet all of INEC’s demands.”

Earlier, Yakubu had said so far, 42 cases of attacks on INEC offices nationwide had been recorded, since the 2019 general election.

He said: “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. “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.”

Lawan Seeks More Legislative Interventions to Secure Nigerians

Meanwhile, the President of the Senate, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, has stressed the need for more legislative interventions to secure Nigerians.

He stated yesterday that that the lawmakers were tired of observing one-minute silence for the victims of insecurity.

The Senate also expressed concern about the frequency of the one-minute silence usually observed at its plenary as a result of deaths associated with security challenges facing the nation.

So far, it has observed one-minute silence six times in recent times for those who lost their lives through killings and murders in the wake of security issues across the country.

Lawan, at yesterday’s plenary, said: “Let me observe that we have observed about six one-minute silence and most of it was to pray for the repose of the souls of Nigerians who were murdered or killed by criminals.”

He called for the intensification of legislative interventions by the National Assembly to protect Nigerians from the heightening insecurity in the country.

According to him, it is imperative for the National Assembly to step up legislative interventions to reduce the number of deaths caused by criminal activities.

He added that such interventions would be backed by collaborative efforts among the legislature, executive and Nigerians to address the security challenges.

He added: “It is very important that we step up our legislative intervention in ensuring that we protect the lives and properties of Nigerians to reduce the incidence of one-minute silence.

“I believe that the Senate and, indeed, the National Assembly, working together with the executive and getting the support of Nigerians, we can bring the much needed succour to our people, and that is why we are here.”