BY MAYOWA SAMUEL
Yoruba socio-political group, Afenifere, has urged the Federal Government and the Independent National Electoral Commission, not to conduct any election without the scourge of insecurity across the country being addressed.
Afenifere leader, Ayo Adebanjo, gave the advice in a chat with The Point, while sharing his thoughts about the nation’s state of preparedness and his expectations for next year’s general elections.
Adebanjo was of the opinion that conducting the election amidst the dire security challenges bedeviling the country will be irresponsible and unpatriotic.
He said, “I believe it will be irresponsible and unpatriotic for any president in the circumstances of the precarious security situation in the country to conduct an election now without solving the question of insecurity and restructuring of the country before the election.”
The Yoruba leader’s advice was based on the unabated killings and kidnappings for ransom, as well as the religious and ethnic crisis across the country.
He said, “This is not the question of if any of these aspirants can solve it or not, the atmosphere is just not convenient for it. How am I sure that when I’m going to the polling station, I won’t be shot at the back? Can the government give guarantee about that when even electoral officers are being shot? It’s just being reckless and irresponsible.
“There’s even no evidence to show that we can cope with the situation. We are still under a situation where criminals and bandits are giving conditions to a government in power with Buhari who is a general before they release those they’ve abducted. They are in such a controlled position.
“We should close our eyes in shame that bandits are giving terms to a government in power like Nigeria? Asking the government to commit an illegal act of giving them Tramadol before they can release their captives? Instead of wiping them out, they are talking of elections. The people must live first before they can have a government,” Adebanjo further stated.
