BENIN CITY – The All Progressives Congress (APC), Edo State Chapter, said it is illegal for the military to be used for elections in Nigeria.
Edo APC which spoke through the state Treasurer, Alhaji Saliu Momoh told newsmen in Benin City that even when some people are yearning for the use of military, “one should look at the rule of law on the issue”.
He said that one cannot dispute the fact that some people would like to take advantage of the absence of the military, but that the issue of the constitution concerning the use of military cannot be put away.
“What we are after is the role of the military in the constitution, because we are operating a constitutional system of government.“We must always ask: what is the position of the law concerning the use of the military in elections in Nigeria?” he said.
The former National Vice-Chairman of the All Nigerian People’s Party (ANPP) said that those who are saying military must be involved in the elections have ulterior motive.
He said such people continue to yearn for the military even when they knew it is not the responsibility and duty of the military to come out on election day.
Alhaji Momoh said even the police that are given responsibilities on elections days are given 300 metres gap.
“Only the Inspector General of Police can invite the military when he feels the situation is beyond the police.
“Calling the military from the onset, means there is an ulterior motive.
“We are not in a war situation, we have never fought war in Nigeria elections; Nigerians say change; don’t bring gun to terrorise them,” the APC state Treasurer posited.
On PDP parading a candidate for the state House of Assembly who was arrested on the day of PDP’s primaries at Egor, for using guns to terrorise party faithful present the Edo APC chieftain said it was an indictment on PDP.
He said the action tells the quality of people that are contesting in the platform of the PDP.
“It goes ahead to tell you why Nigerians are yearning for change.
“A man cannot be caught at this period of Nigeria’s situation for such offence and be granted bail to go and contest for such public office,” adding that public office is a very serious business”,
He reiterated that those who defected from the PDP to APC and are accepted, must be certified that they are not in the EFCC list, saying that APC does not accept persons whose names are on the EFCC list.
He said the PDP is full of people whose names are on the EFCC list due to corruption thinking the PDP can cover them.
According to him, Femi Fani Kayode left APC for the PDP because the APC refused to shield him of his corruption allegation.
Election Not War
Meanwhile, the All Progressives Congress (APC) weekend said that an election was not war, but a celebration of democracy.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, National Publicity Secretary of the APC, said this at a news conference in Lagos barely seven days to the nation’s presidential election.
“Election is not war, but a celebration of democracy. Nigeria must not be allowed to be plunged into crisis for whatever reason.
“This is because the consequences will be dire, not just for our country and her citizens but for the entire West African region and indeed all of Africa,’’ he said.
Mohammed said that Nigeria’s estimated population of 170 million is over 56 per cent of the ECOWAS’ population of 300 million, therefore, a destabilised Nigeria would be a destabilised West Africa.
He said that despite the kind of cloud that was gathering over the nation, the APC remained optimistic that the will of the people would prevail.
“We have no doubt that at the end of the day, good will overcome evil,’’ he said.
The APC spokesman distanced the party from a radio station that was allegedly being used to destabilise the polity.
“Gentlemen, we state categorically that we have nothing to do with that radio station,’’ Mohammed said, noting that it was plotted to put the party and its leaders in bad light.
He raised alarm that the party had uncovered other plans aimed at crippling it and putting it at a disadvantaged position ahead of the elections.
Mohammed, however, said that the party remains in good stead, with just a week before the Presidential and National Assembly elections, saying that many Nigerians had continued to embrace it as an agent of change.