Southern, Middle-Belt leaders condemn Buhari’s conduct during presidential election

The Southern and Middle-Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF) has condemned the conduct of President Muhammadu Buhari before and after last month’s presidential election.

In an open letter addressed to the president, the SMBLF lamented that his posture during the election was more worrisome than the poor conduct of the exercise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The group lamented that the president’s actions and avowals are detrimental to national tranquility.

The letter was signed by the Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), Edwin Clark, his Afenifere counterpart, Ayo Adebanjo, President of the Middle Belt Forum, Pogu Bitrus, former governor of Anambra State, Chukwuemeka Ezeife, and the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Amb. Okey Emuchay.

The letter was made public on Thursday.

Buhari, who was in Daura, Katsina State, during the public displayed his thumb-printed ballot to the delight of those present at his polling unit at the time.

It read: “On Saturday, February 25, 2023, during the Presidential and National assembly elections, Mr. President was seen in a viral image displaying your ballot paper after thumb printing to show who you voted, certainly to influence other voters, before casting your vote at your polling unit in Daura, your hometown. That was an absurd and brazen violation of provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and INEC’s voting procedures by no less a person than the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The question is what example was Mr. President providing?

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“It must be noted that Section 50 (1) of the Electoral Act of 2022 stipulates that “(1) Voting at an election under this Act shall be by open secret ballot and that “(2) Subject to section 63 of this Act, voting at an election and transmission of results under this Act shall be in accordance with the procedure determined by the Commission.

“Furthermore, the 2023 general election procedures released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) state that voting is by secrecy; ‘You will go to the voting cubicle to mark your choice on the ballot paper in secret… and then drop the marked ballot paper into the ballot box in full view of all present. A voter is not allowed to take photograph of the ballot paper when in the voting cubicle.

“It is worthy to note that the ‘Presidency’ did not issue a disclaimer over the said viral picture, and dismally, Mr. President has not shown compunction for that action in any way. Like the Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom, and former Governor of Abia State, Senator Orji Kalu, who also posed for pictures with their ballot papers after thumb printing before casting the ballots at their respective polling units.

“Mr. President did not only mute himself in the face of allegations of irregularities and compromise against the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) during and immediate aftermath of the Presidential Election but, as usual, embarked on an international journey soon after.

“The recent open declaration by Mr. President through a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, that he will inaugurate President-elect, Bola Tinubu as President of Nigeria on May 29, 2023, and that there will not be a repeat of the June 12, 1993, presidential poll saga.”

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