Military interference in Rivers’ election is treasonable, says CUPP

The Coalition of United Political Parties on Monday described
alleged military interference in the governorship and House of
Assembly elections in Rivers State as treasonable felony.

The coalition’s national spokesman, Imo Ugochinyere, said this
in a statement in Abuja.

Ugochinyere claimed that with the military’s action, the Chief
of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, had shown that he was nursing an
agenda of returning the country to military rule.

He described the soldiers’ action as an assault on democratic
institutions, asking all lovers of democracy to resist it.

He said, “The Coalition of United Political Parties has reviewed
the performance of the Nigerian military in the just-concluded
governorship election in some parts of the country and has come to
the conclusion that the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, is
nursing a secret agenda to return the country to a military
rule.

“We make bold to say that Buratai’s brazen use of armed soldiers
to attack officials of the Independent National Electoral
Commission and upturn electoral process were testing grounds for
his plot to truncate Nigeria’s democracy.

“We hereby raise the alarm loud enough for all lovers of
democracy to hear that an electoral war is looming in states like
Rivers over the desperate moves by the Nigerian Army and the All
Progresives Congress to announce fake governorship election results
in Army Barracks in favour of an unknown and non-existence party
called AAC.

“We condemn in unequivocal terms President Muhammadu Buhari and
his Chief of Army Staff over this reckless overthrow of electoral
process in Rivers State with the APC thugs and security agents.

“We hereby say without mincing words that the undemocratic
activities of the military and other security agencies in Rivers
State are tantamount to treasonable felony and should be viewed and
treated that way.

“This is an assault on democratic institutions in the country
and should be resisted and condemned by all lovers of democracy
within and outside the country.”