The Alliance for New Nigeria (ANN) has alerted all electoral stakeholders to be vigilant as Nigeria journey to the 2019 elections. It made the call while commenting on “the widespread mayhem” that marred last Saturday’s Rivers Assembly bye-election.

“Though the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has suspended the by-poll into Port Harcourt III State Constituency in accordance with Section 26 of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended), but it is a worrisome phase in our electoral process,” the party said in a statement signed by the National Publicity Secretary, Akinloye Oyeniyi.

“ANN, as a party with strong policy for free, fair and credible elections, will not tolerate anything inimical to electoral integrity and legitimacy. Therefore, we condemn the widespread violence and malpractices in the Rivers bye-election allegedly caused by hoodlums backed by heavily-armed security men, and ask all electoral stakeholders to be at alert as the nation is going into the 2019 national polls,” the statement said.

In another statement, ANN frowned at the statement of President Muhammadu Buhari upon his arrival from vacation that he is going to jail looters of the economy.

It said the President’s statement is condemnable for it lacked basis in any law and also an infraction on the principle of separation of power.

Buhari, who had returned to Abuja after his 10-day holiday in London, told NTA in an interview upon his arrival at the State House, Abuja, on Saturday, when asked what Nigerians should expect from him on resumption: “Most Nigerians are expecting that we are going to jail more of the thieves that brought economic problem to the country. I think that is being expected of me and I will do it.”

Decrying the unconstitutionality of such response, the party said: “Though our criminal justice system is that which have all arms of government interdepending on each other, but it is only the judiciary as enshrined in the Chapter VII of the 1999 Constitution (3rd alteration) that have constitutional power to determine all sentences, which can include jail term, a fine, or even an execution.”

ANN added: “Insofar as these arms of government functions are interwoven, none can overlap another in lawmaking which is under legislature, enforcement and prosecution which is under the executives, conviction which is of the judiciary and imprisonment of offenders also under the executives.

“Let those around the President properly brief him about Section 5 subsection 1 and Section 174 of the constitution so as to avoid such undemocratic and dictatorial statement in the future.”

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