President Muhammadu Buhari has ordered Service chiefs to ensure election holds in Anambra State amidst peaceful atmosphere.
National Security Adviser (NSA) Maj.-Gen. Babagana Monguno made the position known while briefing Newsmen at the Presidential Villa in Abuja, after the on the outcome of yesterday’s National Security Council meeting.
The NSA disclosed that President Buhari had made it clear to heads of security agencies to ensure a peaceful election in other to give Anambra people their constitutional right to vote, despite threats by non-state actors to disrupt the election.
According to him, “Today’s (yesterday) meeting of the National Security Council focused its attention on several issues, primarily the elections in Anambra State, which will be held on the 6th of November. Council observed recent trends in which a lot of violent activities have been taking place and Council is desirous of seeing a hitch-free election being conducted by next month.
“Now the problem here is that in as much as the government wants to conduct peaceful elections, there are non-state actors who have been heating up the polity, who have made all kinds of attempts to stymie orderly elections for next month.
“The President has directed that under no circumstances will anything be allowed to stop the elections from taking place successfully, the people have a right to vote, they have a right to select their leader, and no group or individual will be allowed to stimulate anarchy and chaos, leading to murderous activities.
“The President has made it very clear that the armed forces, security agencies, and law enforcement agencies must make sure that the elections take place, if it means overwhelming the entire environment with the presence of security agencies.
“There are so many implications for elections to be sabotaged by non-state actors. In the first place, we’re in a democracy. Secondly, it is important to note that if these non-state actors should succeed in destroying the potential for orderly elections, then it is natural that other parts of the country will also want to copy this situation.
“The tail cannot wag the dog, it is totally unacceptable and again, we in the security and intelligence community have been trying as much as possible to talk with the leadership in the Southeast, to make them aware of the fact that President Buhari is not averse to the aspirations of the people of the Southeast.
“So long as whatever they desire to achieve, they do it through the normal prescribed manner, either legislative, legal or whatever. For as long as it is within the confines of legitimacy, President Buhari does not have a problem with that. But any action that is outlandish, any action that typifies roguery, the usurpation of the authority of the state is not going to be tolerated.
“Again, we’re also mindful of the fact that Nigerians, being what they are, also need to understand that if these non-state actors should go out on a limb and extend the frontiers of violence, and begin to kill people, there is a possibility that reprisal attacks can take place in other parts of the country, which is what we do not want to happen.
“So, we’re working with the community leaders, with the governors and everybody to ensure that they bring their people, restrain them.” the NSA said.
Meanwhile, Non-sensitive materials for the Anambra governorship election have been destributed for the conduct of the November 6 election in Anambra State.
Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, in a statement, disclosed that the Commission has successfully implemented 12 out of 14 activities in the timetable and schedule of activities for the election.
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