FG backs US, UK’s planned sanctions against election riggers

The Federal Government yesterday expressed support for the United States and the United Kingdom in demanding credible and peaceful elections

in Nigeria and threatening punitive measures against election riggers and perpetrators of electoral violence.

Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed said  in Ilorin that government was particularly  delighted that the statements came after it alerted Nigerians  to the machinations of some opposition elements “ working to scuttle the 2019 polls through widespread violence.”

The alleged plan, Mohammed said, was  to “scuttle the election and then push for an interim government, having realized they can’t win a free, fair, credible and peaceful elections.”

He added: “The fact that those statements came after we issued our red alert, which is based on credible intelligence, shows that the international community is closely monitoring events ahead of the election. We urge them to keep a close tab on the desperate opposition, whose language, actions and undisguised threats are antithetical to the conduct of peaceful polls.’’

Read also: APC to Ndigbo: Atiku has nothing, but deceit to offer you

Alhaji Mohammed said Nigerians and the international community should take seriously the assurance of a credible and violence-free election that has been consistently given by President Muhammadu Buhari.

He said the APC-led administration was confident of the victory in the forthcoming elections, adding that a party that was not so desperate as to rig election while in opposition had no business rigging election or perpetrating violence now that it is in power and is enjoying massive support from the citizenry.

The minister asked the international community to keep a close eye on those who are spending more time on a dubious strategy of scuttling the polls than campaigning to win in a free, fair, transparent and peaceful election.

‘’As their campaign flounders and their strategies collapse, they have resorted to seeking power by subterfuge. That’s why they are doing everything possible to discredit an election that has yet to be held by unleashing their attack dogs on the INEC, the police and the entire electoral process.

‘’On our part, we have confidence in the electoral process and the institutions saddled with organizing and securing the election. That’s why we have been busy campaigning vigorously across the country, attracting unprecedented, organic crowds everywhere we go,” he said.