TEXT OF THE PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE HON MINISTER OF INFORMATION AND CULTURE., ALHAJI LAI MOHAMMED, IN ILORIN, KWARA STATE, ON THURSDAY, 21 FEB 2019
Good evening gentlemen, and welcome to this press conference
2. With less than 48 hours to the rescheduled 2019 general elections, I have called this press conference to reassure the good people of Kwara State that adequate security measures have been taken to ensure that Saturday’s voting is conducted under a peaceful atmosphere across the state.
3. This reassurance is necessary in view of the unprovoked attack on the campaign train of the APC candidate for the Kwara South Senatorial District, Architect Lola Ashiru, by PDP thugs which left one person dead, another in critical condition and many others injured. Several vehicles in the convoy of the candidate were also damaged.
4. Since that attack, many have been asking if indeed it is safe for voters here in Kwara to go out and exercise their franchise on Saturday. Well, I am here to say, unequivocally, that no one dares to, and no one will, disrupt Saturday’s election. I repeat, no one will disrupt Saturday’s election.
5. Today, security agencies have arrested many known thugs, hoodlums and other criminals across Kwara State. As as I speak, the security agencies are on the trail of those who are yet to be arrested, and they will get them all. No known thug, hoodlum and other criminals will be allowed to disrupt voting or endanger the lives of voters on Saturday.
6. Following the arrest of many criminals across Kwara today, Thursday, one concerned citizen sent us a message. Please permit me to read it out to you. I quote: ”With these arrests, we can now convincingly tell our mothers and fathers, who are very scared of coming out, to all come out now and exercise their franchise. We will be telling them that those terrors have all been apprehended and that maximum security will be on ground.” End of quote. There is no better way to put it.
7. Recall, gentlemen, that President Muhammadu Buhari attaches great importance to the issue of free, fair and peaceful elections. During Monday’s APC caucus meeting, the President warned all political actors to ensure an environment free from intimidation and violence for all eligible citizens to peacefully cast their ballot during the election.
8. Of course, you are aware that the President has directed security agencies to contain any acts of lawlessness before, during and after the elections. Anyone who attempts to snatch ballot boxes or lead thugs to disrupt voting will pay with his life, the President has warned.
9. In view of the assurances I have provided above, and the fact that security agents are deploying massively across the state, I want to appeal to all Kwarans to come out in large numbers to vote on Saturday. In particular, I call on all APC members and supporters to wake up early and go to their polling units to exercise their franchise.
10. I ALSO WANT TO APPEAL TO ALL OUR PARTY AGENTS TO BE VIGILANT, TO ENSURE THAT ONLY THOSE WITH GENUINE PVCs ARE ALLOWED TO VOTE
11. This is a golden opportunity for the people of Kwara to vote out the predatory leadership that has enslaved and pauperized our people and looted our commonwealth. The power is in our votes and we must not fail to wield this power on Saturday. Security is guaranteed.
11. I thank you all for your kind attention
