Ahead of the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states on Saturday, President Muhammadu Buhari and his predecessor, Dr Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday condemned violence that had characterized campaigns in the two states.
Jonathan, who handed over to Buhari in 2015, described signals coming from the two states as disturbing.
On Wednesday, one person was killed at the Peoples Democratic Party rally in Bayelsa State. Last month, a man was killed at Anyigba, Kogi State, after hoodlums attacked a convoy of governorship candidate of the PDP in Kogi State, Mr Musa Wada.
He expressed concern about violence and killings in the two states, saying this would not have happened if Nigeria had got to a point where voter cards mattered.
On his part, Buhari asked security agencies to ensure that citizens were allowed to vote at tomorrow’s elections to be conducted in the two states.
The President further directed that all cases of ballot box-snatching should be handled by legal means.
Buhari stated, “I call on voters in Bayelsa and Kogi states to exercise their franchise in a peaceful and orderly manner and in line with the law in all situations.
“Law enforcement officials must ensure that citizens are allowed to vote without harassment and intimidation and any attempt to steal or hijack ballots must be stopped using all legal means.
“In all democratic elections, there are bound to be winners and losers and the elections in Bayelsa and Kogi will not be different.
“All candidates should be ready to accept the outcomes and wherever they are dissatisfied, they should follow due process of the law in seeking redress. There must not be a resort to self-help”, a State House statement quoted Buhari as saying.
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