By our reporter| President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday made public the directive he gave to the Inspector-General of Police in the runup to last Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State last Saturday.
President Buhari who made the disclosure when he recieved the re-elected governor of Edo state, his deputy and their spouses alongside other party leaders from the Edo State at the presidential Villa, Abuja, said he told the IGP that elections must be free and fair and that innocent citizens must not suffer regardless of party affliation.
“I am supposed to preside over all Nigerian interests whether I like it or not, but my single desire is to make sure that innocent people don’t suffer. That message I got across to the Inspector General of Police, that elections must be free and fair.”
While addressing the delegation from Edo State, President Buhari said that his single desire was to make sure that innocent Nigerians don’t suffer regardless of party affiliation.
The President continued, “I thank you for bringing your deputy and supporters to come and see me after beating my party. I am supposed to preside over all Nigerian interests whether I like it or not, but my single desire is to make sure that innocent people don’t suffer. That message I got across to the Inspector General of Police, that elections must be free and fair.”
“If contestants have too much money and they decide to spray, so be it. But what I insist is, nobody should go and raise a counter force to the government, arm heavily-drugged thugs to go and humiliate people.”
“I want Nigerians to appreciate that I respect them as Nigerians and that I am bound by the oath I have taken that their security is in the hands of God and in the hands of the government, which I am leading.”
President Buhari noted that as the leader of the governing party, and despite the fact that the party has lost some states in elections, he wishes to leave behind a political culture based on integrity.
On a lighter note, the President joked he was congratulating the Edo governor “reluctantly” because he defeated the candidate of his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC).
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