Buhari: voting in Katsina today

Nigeria’s President Elect, General Muhammadu Buhari, said on Saturday that government officials and other agents of state who work to subvert the nation’s constitution will not go unpunished.

He spoke today in Katsina state, in an interactive session with journalists.

Against the backdrop of reported electoral infractions in Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta, Buhari said:

“The running battle from Rivers, south east and the rest of the South south, especially by governors Rotimi Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha and Adams Oshiomhole with INEC officials and law enforcement agencies is remarkable and I think it has to be totally exposed so that Nigerians will know which of the law enforcement agencies and at what levels are undermining the constitution of Nigeria because the electoral act is derived from the constitution of the country. So that in future, those who are in position will know that they are not beyond the law,” he said.

Buhari told journalists at his country home in Katsina that whether in the opposition or in the ruling party, anybody that works against the constitution will be allowed to enjoy the privileges conferred by the constitution.

While insisting that he will work in concert with the National Assembly to ensure constitutional amendment where necessary, the President elect said he will encourage the implementation of the Justice Mohammed Uwais report especially as it relates to the institution of a special court to try electoral offenders.

He said: “I will look for understanding and cooperation from the National Assembly when a change of the constitution or electoral act is necessary. So for me to make up my mind here and later try to lobby is out of it because some of them, if they are very hard, they will give me a tough time.

“I will say that I haven’t read the Uwais report, but I have read a few of the extracts from the papers, I think it is a good thing and we will encourage it. But we need to get a comprehensive report from the field.