The Social Democratic Party (SDP) has said any security personnel who illegally kill any Nigerian during the elections in compliance to the shoot-out order of President Muhammadu Buhari would be held responsible for their action.
Acting Chairman of the party Professor Jerry Gana faction of the party, Chief Supo Shonibare stated this on Wednesday at a press briefing after an extra ordinary National Working Committee meeting.
According to Shonibare, anyone accused of any form of malfeasance was innocent until proven guilty in court saying that if any personnel shoots an innocent person, he would be on his own.
He said: “Our constitution says anyone accused of any malfeasance is innocent until proven guilty. Any security personnel who does an illegal act of shooting anybody on sight is on own his own. If they say they are adhering to the president order by shooting someone who had not been taken to court, they will be responsible for their actions”.
He stated that the executive arm of government alone did not constitute government but included the judiciary and the legislature which must come together to form the government.
The party described as parochial the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) reasons for rescheduling the 2019 elections.
“The SDP in assessment of the postponement’s exponential cost and political actors considers INEC’s decision as parochial, insensitive and capable of creating voter apathy that may further diminish voter turnout on election day.”
It further said, “SDP urges INEC to engage all critical national and foreign election stakeholders in its pre-election and post election processes in an open and transparent atmosphere in attestation that the electoral processes are credible, free, fair and peaceful, as democratic governance and the future of our cherished country hangs in the balance”.
The party accused the All Progressives Congress of crying foul and shedding crocodile tears over the rescheduled polls.
The SDP also berated the APC for refusing to sign the amendment to the Electoral Act into law as well as jettisoning the Senator Ken Nnamani Electoral Reform Report.
The party also flayed the Muhammadu Buhari’s administration for conducting “vote trading and litigation-filled elections in Edo, Ekiti, Osun and many other by-election.
The Acting chairman called on the electorate not to be deterred by their antics “and come out en masse on the election day to vote out this failed government.”
“We owe it as a duty to ourselves, our families and the unborn generations not to “change” into the next level of hunger, poverty, unemployment and democratic tenets.”
It called on Nigerians to cast their vote for the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who he said would bring prosperity to the people.
