With few days to the September 19
governorship election in Edo state, a
foremost civil rights advocacy
group, the Human Rights Writers
Association of Nigeria , HURIWA,
has counselled President
Muhammadu Buhari to play the
role of a statesman by staying
neutral in the course of the exercise.
This is as the party reminded Buhari
that as Commander-in-Chief of the
Armed Forces, Nigerians expect him
to champion a level playing field
that would afford all participating
political parties equal opportunity
to test their popularity at the poll.
Addressing journalists on Monday in
Abuja, Emmanuel Onwubiko,
national coordinator of HURIWA
faulted the alleged use of a
Presidential jet by the chairman of
the All Progressives Congress, APC,
campaign council for Edo election,
Governor Abdullahi Ganduje,
describing the development as a
breach of the 1999 constitution (as
amended).
He said;
“HURIWA wants the President,
Muhammadu Buhari to be a
statesman and not interfere in
the coming election in Edo state to
select the governor of the state.
HURIWA says it is completely out
of order for President
Muhammadu Buhari to be seen
extremely concerned about the
outcome of the election when in
actual fact as the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria, he is
holding the office on behalf of the
entirety of Nigeria as he is not the
President of All Progressives
Congress.
“The Nigerian President is by his
oath of office expected to be
above board and must not be
seen actively promoting one-sided
agenda but should be the
champion of a pan Nigerian
agenda.
“We have observed with shock
and disappointment that the
campaign council set up by the All
Progressively Congress headed by
the governor of Kano State,
Abdullahi Ganduje, flew into
Benin, the Edo state capital on a
presidential jet belonging to all of
Nigeria.
“If this trending news report is
anything to go by, then we
absolutely condemn this reckless
display of political rascality and
flagrant abuse of power which
offends section 15(5) of the
constitution of the Federal
Republic of Nigeria which states
that, ‘he state shall abolish all
corrupt practice and abuse of
power’ ”