Group backs Buhari on threat to ballot box snatchers

The Progressive Yoruba Youths (PYY) has backed president Muhammadu Buhari over strict measures put in place against those plotting to jeopardise the forthcoming elections.

President Buhari, had on Monday, during the All Progressive Congress’ (APC) caucus meeting threatened to come hard on those with plans to rig the elections.

The Progressive Yoruba Youths in a statement by its president, Kola Salawu, said the declaration was a wake-up call to  security agencies to be unrelenting and decisive in dealing with potential ballot box snatchers, an ugly practice that has been the bane of previous elections.

It added that the target wasn’t innocent, law-abiding Nigerians rather miscreants.

The statement reads in part:

“More than the angst at the prospect of their errand boys being killed in the course of snatching ballot boxes, the critics of President Buhari’s assertion are pained that their overall plans have been thrown into a shamble because the scheme to rig cannot be implemented in the absence of violence and ballot snatching. The pre-written result in custody of the compromised INEC officials will no longer tally with the vote cast once the ballot snatchers have been put out of commission.

“We therefore see no reason for law abiding citizens to be concerned over the “snatch ballot box and die” comment. Those that had earlier signed up as ballot snatchers have option of refunding the amounts they have been paid to become cannon fodder”

“ It is however pertinent that we point out where our position slightly differ from that held by Mr President. It is not enough to decisively deal with ballot snatchers, who are mere puppets. It is pertinent that the hands manipulating the puppets are decisively dealt with. With the benefit of technology and forensics, law enforcement agencies should track down those that issued the order for ballot snatching and make them pay for their crimes against democracy and for insulting Nigerians in the worst way possible. So we appeal to Mr President to so direct law enforcement agents”.