INEC chairman counters President Buhari, says Ballot box snatchers should not be shot

INEC Chairman, Yakubu Mahmood has countered President Buhari’s order that ballot box snatchers during the elections should be shot dead.

Recall that on Monday February 18th, President Buhari at an APC meeting in Abuja said that Ballot box snatchers and thugs stand the risk of losing their lives during the elections.

”I am going to warn anybody who thinks he has enough influence in his locality to lead a body of thugs, snatch ballot boxes or to disturb the voting system, he will do it at the expense of his own life.” he said

However, reacting to the order, the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, at a press conference in Abuja yesterday Tuesday February 19th, said that the commission would stand by the Electoral Act.

“The position of the commission is that all violators of the Electoral Act should be punished according to the provisions of the Electoral Act which states that persons who snatch election materials are liable to a prison term of two years or maximum fine of N500, 000.”

Mixed reactions have trailed President Buhari’s order. While some Nigerians commend the president, others have condemned him saying the order can give rise to extrajudicial killings which could be camouflaged as ballot box snatching.