INEC Chairman Counters President Buhari, Says Ballot Box Snatchers Should Not Be Shot

INEC Chairman Counters President Buhari, Says Ballot Box Snatchers Should Not Be Shot

INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood has countered President Buhari’s order
that ballot box snatchers during the elections should be shot dead.

Recall that on Monday February 18th, President Buhari at an APC
meeting in Abuja said that Ballot box snatchers and thugs stand the risk
of losing their lives during the elections.

”I am going to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in
his locality to lead a body of thugs, snatch ballot boxes or to disturb
the voting system, he will do it at the expense of his own life.” he
said

However, reacting to the order, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood
Yakubu, at a press conference in Abuja yesterday Tuesday February 19th,
said that the commission would stand by the Electoral Act.

“The position of the commission is that all violators of the
Electoral Act should be punished according to the provisions of the
Electoral Act which states that persons who snatch election materials
are liable to a prison term of two years or maximum fine of N500, 000.”

Mixed reactions have trailed President Buhari’s order. While some
Nigerians commend the president, others have condemned him saying the
order can give rise to extrajudicial killings which could be camouflaged
as ballot box snatching.