Buhari’s shoot-on-sight order, unpresidential ― Sowunmi

House of Representatives candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party for Abeokuta South Federal Constituency, Mr Segun Sowunmi, has said that the shoot-on-sight order made by President Muhammadu Buhari at anyone caught in the act of snatching ballot box during the election is u presidential.

Sowunmi who is the spokesperson of PDP Presidential Campaign Council, during an interactive session with newsmen, at his residence, in Abeokuta, on Tuesday.

He noted that the statement was inflammatory and could be literarily misconstrued by overzealous security agents.

The PDP candidate said the President could have said in plain language that anyone found culpable of snatching ballot boxes would be dealt with according to the laws of the land.

He said his party, PDP, would not condone or encourage any act of hooliganism and brigandage during the elections, urging Buhari to find a way of correcting himself on the said statement.

“What Buhari has said as Commander-In-Chief and as President is that a criminal or a potential criminal in our country does not have the fundamental human right to life.

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“Not all offences in court, even if the offence warrants taking it to the court, that carries a death sentence. You cannot order the execution of your citizens for any reason, what a Commander- In Chief, what a decent man, what a decent democrat, what a decent President ought to say is that, we will not tolerate misbehaviour, brigandage, snatching of ballot boxes or criminal activities as security agents are fully charged to apprehend and bring to book any body who is found guilty, this election must be free, fair and credible.

“The blood of no Nigerian must not shed, the blood of any Nigerian is too precious for anybody. People must vote and their vote must count, the legitimacy of an election or the right to rule people is determined and obtained by a credible free fair election. The same message should have been conveyed.

“I want to apologies on behalf of his Excellency President Buhari, and I want to believe that what he meant to say is that, brigandage, criminal behavior will not be tolerated and that is something we in PDP will also subscribed to, but we hold him responsible for his actions and for his words.

“I want to appeal to him to find an opportunity to correct himself, like he do say especially during the budget, ‘the world is watching, the world is watching’. What does he know that the world has given to that reckless comment he made?”