Buhari has turned Police, EFCC into APC's attack dogs - Fayose

Former Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose, believes that President Muhammadu Buhari is not genuinely committed to free and fair elections in 2019 despite signing a Peace Accord, an undertaking signed by presidential candidates.

Buhari was one of the candidates that signed the document in Abuja on Tuesday, December 11, 2018 at an event organised by the National Peace Committee headed by a former military Head of State, Abdulsalami Abubakar.

With the signing of the accord, the candidates committed to ensuring peaceful and rancour-free campaigns before, during and after the 2019 general elections.

Despite Buhari's signing of the document, Fayose believes the president is desperate to remain in office and will fail to fulfill his obligations.

The former governor took to his Twitter account on Wednesday, December 12 to accuse the president of turning the Nigeria Police Force and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) into the attack dogs of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to harass the opposition.

President Muhammadu Buhari shakes hands with Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose ece-auto-gen

He said the president's failure to sign the electoral amendment bill is more indicative of his attitude towards the general elections than his signing of the peace accord.

He posted, "A man who refused to sign the Amended Electoral Bill 4 times after it was passed by NASS of 469 Nigerians cannot be said to be interested in any peaceful, free and fair election. Therefore, signing of Peace Accord won't change his desperation to remain in office at all cost.

"A man who has turned all FG agencies, especially EFCC and Police to the attack dogs of APC cannot be said to be interested in any peaceful election just by mere signing of peace accord."

The 2019 presidential election, scheduled for February 16, 2019, is expected to be keenly-contested between President Buhari and Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). Even though Atiku was absent from the signing on Tuesday, he's expected to sign the Peace Accord today.

Buhari rejects electoral amendment bill

Last week, the president, yet again, rejected the National Assembly's amendment to the nation's electoral act, noting that signing it too close to the 2019 general elections would 'create some uncertainty about the legislation to govern the process'.

He said, "I am declining assent to the Bill principally because I am concerned that passing a new electoral bill this far into the electoral process for the 2018 general elections which commenced under the 2015 Electoral Act, could create some uncertainty about the applicable legislation to govern the process. Any real or apparent change to the rules this close to the elections may provide an opportunity for disruption and confusion in respect of which law governs the electoral process."

The president's refusal to sign the bill has given fuel to accusations that he and the APC are planning to rig the 2019 general elections in their favour.