One of Nigeria’s human rights organisations, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has demanded increased security measures for the President-Elect, Bola Ahmed and the Vice President-Elect, Kashim Shetima. MURIC based its demand on rising security threats and treasonable utterances coming from the opposition camp which bothered on desperation.
The group made the demand on Friday, 28th April, 2023 via its Executive Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola.
He said :
“We find it necessary to alert the nation, particularly the security agencies, concerning ominous signs on the Nigerian political horizon. Too many threats have emerged over the approaching inauguration of the winner of the presidential election held on 25th February, 2023.
“We have never had it so tense. The tension in the air is so thick that it can be cut with a knife. This is probably the first time open threats will be issued against a president-elect after he has been declared winner of the presidential election. Serious threats hang over our heads like the sword of Damocles. The signs are too open to be ignored.
“An Abuja-based pastor, Sarah Amaku had the effrontery to say publicly that Tinubu was not her president-elect. She said Tinubu was the president-elect for the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission and the ruling party (https://www.legit.ng/politics/1523641-tinubu-president-elect-fiery-abuja-preacher-unbelievable-statement-days-election/).
“Controversial Afenifere leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, also declared yesterday that there was no president-elect (https://lagoscityreporters.com/theres-no-president-elect-adebanjo/).
“An indirect call for interim government and an undisguised attempt at derailing the swearing-in of the president-elect has also emanated from Chuks Ibegbu, the former National Publicity Secretary of the Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
“Ibegbu wants the National Assembly to extend President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration by three months, beyond May 29, 2023 (https://saharareporters.com/2023/04/26/ex-ohanaeze-ndigbo-national-publicity-secretary-ibegbu-calls-extension-buharis).
“A few followers of one of the presidential candidates who lost the election, Peter Obi, have also converged in front of the Nigerian Army headquarters in Abuja, begging the military to take over power (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QXsNa3L90k4).
“Such utterances and actions have emboldened at least one real and palpable threat as a member of the opposition, Obiajulu Uja, disrupted an Ibom flight from Abuja to Lagos on 1st April, 2023. He reportedly delayed the flight for more than one hour (https://thenationonlineng.net/passenger-protesting-tinubu-inaugurationarrested-aboard-abuja-lagos-flight/). It is obvious that Obiajulu would do more than that if he has the chance.
“These are ominous signs and only the uninitiated will fail to read the handwriting on the wall. We therefore call on the security agencies to double guards for the president-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his vice, Kashim Shettima. Nothing must happen to them.
“We remind those plotting to truncate the presidential inauguration billed for 29th May of the dire consequences of their actions. The whole of Africa is enveloped in crises. Sudan cannot breathe. It is presently torn between government soldiers and the militia. M23 and the ADF are at war with government forces in DR Congo.
“Peace has eluded Burkina Faso, Mali and Chad. Anti-inauguration elements should remember Nigeria’s humongous population of 210 million which will have nowhere to go in case of a conflagration since all the countries surrounding us are already engulfed in one conflict or another.
“We therefore call on the opposition to exercise restraint in its conduct as it contests election results. Those who fight and run away live to fight another day. Those who did not win in 2023 have another chance in 2027. Remember the words of Paul Tibbets who dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, ‘My God! What have we done?’ But it was too late. The damage had already been done. A word is enough for the wise.”
