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Buhari assures foreign observers of safety
President Muhammadu Buhari on Thursday dissociated himself and his government from the comments of his aides and allies who have been issuing threats to members of the diplomatic corps and foreign election observers over the general elections.
He said such threats did not represent the position of the Federal Government.
Buhari said this in his nationwide broadcast ahead of the Saturday’s presidential election.
Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai; the Chief of Staff to the President, Abba Kyari; the spokesman for the Muhammadu Buhari Presidential Campaign Organisation, Festus Keyamo; and the President’s Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Garba Shehu, had at different times taken on the international community and foreign observers who have expressed some reservations about the conduct of free and fair elections.
Buhari said his government was committed to the conduct of free and fair elections in a peaceful atmosphere.
He said, “Let me reaffirm the commitment of the Federal Government to the conduct of free and fair elections in a safe and peaceful atmosphere. Just yesterday (Wednesday), I signed the Peace Accord alongside 72 other presidential candidates.
“I want to assure all Nigerians, the diplomatic community and all foreign election observers of their safety and full protection.
“Any comment or threat of intimidation from any source does not represent the position of the Federal Government of Nigeria.”
Buhari also urged Nigerians to take a personal interest in promoting and maintaining peace in their respective neighbourhoods during the elections.
He said he remained the preferred choice for Nigerians.
But the Atiku Abubakar Presidential Campaign Council accused Buhari of deceiving Nigerians with his broadcast.
The campaign council of Atiku, who is the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, said the national television stations that hooked in to the programme should be paid for the “wasted airtime.”
Spokesman for the campaign Council, Mr Akin Osuntokun, said, “Typical Buhari and the APC. When the Nigerian public was advised to tune in to a national broadcast by the President, the country was expecting a Pesidential broadcast; not a misuse of the platform for a shopworn campaign address by the presidential candidate of the APC.
“All the broadcast stations that were deceitfully made to believe they were hooking up to a non-partisan address should immediately proceed to charge the APC presidential candidate for the airtime they expended.”