President Muhammadu Buhari Orders Security Agencies to Ensure Violence-free Election in Ondo, Rivers

President Muhammadu Buhari has issued a directive to security agencies to ensure that elections in Ondo and Rivers State is free of violence.

According to the President, elections in these two states would serve as a litmus test for 2019 general election.

Buhari said he was disturbed by what happened in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers states during past elections.

The Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mr Garba Shehu, said the directive was issued by the President at a state dinner in Benin, the Edo state capital, on Monday.

Buhari said the forthcoming gubernatorial elections in Ondo and National and State Assembly rerun elections in Rivers would serve as a litmus test for the general elections in 2019.

‘‘What happened in [the last elections] Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers State disturbs me a lot.

‘‘I think we should go beyond these actions. Why do we kill each other? Putting tyres on people and setting them ablaze.

‘‘I have told the law enforcement agencies, if we can’t conduct an election in one state then we should forget about 2019,’’ the President said.

Posted by Juliet Ekwebelam (Source: ThisDay)