The National leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has defended President Muhammadu Buhari threat of instant death for ballot box snatchers.
Tinubu who spoke to newsmen shortly after an APC caucus meeting, said Buhari’s directive to security agents for them to aim at only those who disrupt the electoral process but not shoot indiscriminately.
The national leader did not, however, disclose if the president’s shoot-at-sight order was also meant for child voters used in many parts of the country to rig elections.
His words; “I was in that meeting. The president was just reinforcing the fact that if you are out there snatching ballot boxes, and causing destruction, you are at risk of your own life.
“Whatever happens to you; no president will give an order that his own citizens should be shot summarily. No! No, its okay, emotions are running high these days. Any individual including myself can be misinterpreted.
“These are not his words; he is a law abiding person and he understands categorically and clearly what rule of law is and the lives of individual citizens that he is in that office to protect.
“Now, let me run this; he has been fighting Boko Haram, kidnappers and all these before this election, did you hear him asking them to be shot and executed summarily? If he has gone through that in the last five years, please give a benefit of the doubt.”
President Buhari at the meeting said those that plan to snatch ballot boxes stand the risk of losing their lives.
His words “Anybody who decides to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disturb the election, maybe that would be the last unlawful action he would take… I have directed the police and the military to be ruthless.” he said.