By: Abiodun Jamiu
Nigerians have taken to social media to express their outbursts to the president's call for death trolls on anyone found snatching ballot boxes February 23.
This reaction came as the president, at an emergency caucus meeting of the All Progressive Congress (APC), warned troublemakers to distant themselves from acts that could disturb the voting process, especially ballot boxes snatching, saying anyone found wanting "would do it at the expense of his/her own life"
Meanwhile, a popular outcry of Nigerians have dominated the social media on Monday following the president comments.
The National Chairman of the People's Democratic party (PDP), Prince Uche Secondus, expressed dissatisfaction on the president's remarks, and accused him of declaring war on voters, inciting violence, and an overly show of desperation to cling to power
"President @MBuhari in his desperation to cling on to power has given marching order to the Nigerian military and Police to help leaders of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in cowing the voters
President's remarks at caucus meeting of his party on Monday amounts to a declaration of war on Nigeria voters and a direct incitement against voters , the first of its kind in Nigeria, a President threatening the lives of her citizens" he tweeted.
A Twitter user, sole dayo, berated snatching or ballot boxes, citing it as a bigger threat to democracy and therefore called for a stringent law to curtailed it.
"There's no bigger threat to democracy than the disenfranchisement of voters through rigging or snatching of ballot boxes. They have to live with the consequences for four years at the barest minimum"
Also, a human rights activist, Abdul Mahmoud, tweeted that the president's comments is tyrannical and urged that the full course of law should be upheld
"Ballot box snatching is an electoral offence under Ss 118 & 129 EA 2010 and it fetches 2yrs imprisonment. It doesn't call for summary execution. One day soon we'll wake up to this tyrant ordering soldiers to kill peaceful protesters! Wait & see."
Sobe olisa expressed that no amount of electoral offences should be equal to extra judicial killing of Nigerians.
"Imagine an already triggered happy police force being given the extra impetus to take life at their discretion. No electoral offences can justify extra judicial killing of anyone" he said
The Senator, representing Kaduna Central, Senator Sheu Sani kicked against the president's remarks as it amount to a call to jungle justices and social disorder.
"Those who attempt to snatch or snatched Ballot Boxes should be arrested and brought to book;This is a better expression to avoid jungle justice or Licence for disorder by thugs who may take the law into their hands."
The People's democractic party (PDP) condemned the president's statement on its official Twitter handle @OfficialPDPNig, and accused the president of directly inciting violence and an attempt to divert the public from plots to disrupt the electoral process.
"President @MBuhari’s threat to the lives of Nigerians, at the opening of @OfficialAPCNg’s national caucus meeting today, is a direct call for jungle justice & an attempt to divert public attention from their closed session where details of the plots will be perfected.
We do hope that this call by President @MBuhari is not a camouflage for the fake soldiers mobilized by the @OfficialAPCNg to shoot at innocent Nigerians, snatch ballot boxes and execute their rigging plans on the election day" the party tweeted.
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