2011 post-election violence, reaction to injustice –BSO

The Buhari Support Organisation has described the 2011 post-election violence in the North as a reaction to the illegalities perpetrated by the Peoples Democratic Party.

The BSO was reacting to the call by a coalition of four civil society groups which said it had instructed a team of lawyers overseas to prosecute the All Progressives Congress presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, at the International Criminal Court at the Hagues, Netherlands, for his role in the violence.

The Head, (Media, Publicity and ICT) in BSO, Dr. Chidia Maduekwe, told Saturday PUNCH in Abuja that the coalition's call was irrelevant, saying, "You can't just criminalise people based on propaganda, hearsay and campaign of calumny."

He said, "On the 2011 post-election violence, a student of Nigerian history will know that there was a post-election violence in Western Nigeria called 'Operation Wetie' which was due to the fact that the people of the region spontaneously rose to anger when their rights and franchise were denied them.

"During the days of Unity Party of Nigeria, I am sure you are aware of the (Akin) Omoboriowo incident in old Ondo State. Nobody told the people of Ondo State to go on the street. It was because the National Party of Nigeria decided to rig the elections to the extent that UPN's (Adekunle) Ajasin was being denied his results. And the people of Ondo State poured into the streets.

"So when people protest over the denial of their rights, it is not because anybody could have been prompted or incited to do it. If there is anything, GMB lives by what he believes in. The post-election violence was because people were disenfranchised by PDP. It was very clear that those areas Buhari won were taken away from him.

"What I am trying to say is that this is what has been the pattern in Nigeria. We are not opposed to free and fair election. And we are warning that PDP should not perpetrate illegalities during the next election."

According to him, there is no basis for any group to call for the prosecution of Buhari at ICC because there is nothing he has done to warrant such.

Maduekwe added that since Buhari emerged as the APC presidential candidate, PDP had been rattled and had been hiding under any subterfuge to discredit Buhari's hard-earned integrity.

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