Short Memo to President Muhammadu Buhari – by Frank Ofili

Your Excellency,

Mr. President sir, I understand the context in which you issued that order to security agents. I know you neither used the word “shoot”, nor did you actually mean that anyone should be shot – your order was that security agents should be “ruthless” with (not shoot) ballot snatchers.. Noble as your intentions might be sir, it is my opinion that you should not have issued that order, especially in public.

You and I know that “ruthless” can just easily be stretched to become shoot-to-kill in our polity where many arm-bearing security men and woman are trigger happy and without restraint. You and I also know that under that order, anybody can be shot with the claim that they are ballot snatchers. The order can also potentially scare away legitimate voters from performing their civic responsibility.

No sir, I do not agree with that order sir. I do not support ballot snatching either. It is a crime against the will of the people. It is treason. But even in treasonable offenses like a coup d’état, offenders do go through military trial before execution.

You still remain my choice for President sir. Still, I will not shy away from telling you that as a democratically-elected President, you should not have issued that order, especially in full glare of media men and women sir. Trust me, it will be used against you.

Yours sincerely

Frank Ofili