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By Stanley Sunday
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara has called on
President Muhammadu Buhari to set up a commission of inquiry to fish out the killers of the Hon. Olatoye Temitope, popularly known as ‘Sugar’.
Temitope was killed in Oyo State on Saturday during the governorship and houses of assembly election.
The victim was the ADP Senatorial candidate for Oyo South in the February 23 election but lost to the PDP candidate, Kolawole Balogun.
Dogara described the killing as primitive, wicked and barbaric.
The speaker who stated that elections should not be war regretted that 20 years into democratic practice, Nigeria is still living in the dark ages.
He said that those who perpetuated violence during the elections should be brought to justice to serve as deterrence to others.
“I received with shock, the sad and distressing news of the assassination of my brother and colleague, Hon. Olatoye Temitope Sugar, in Oyo State today.
“The murder of Hon. Sugar in election violence today is primitive, wicked, inhumane, barbaric and highly condemnable.
“He was a fine gentleman, committed patriot, dedicated, hardworking lawmaker and worthy representative of his people.
“We mourn him and all those whose lives were cut short by forces of evil and soulless men.
“Our heartfelt condolences to their families. We pray for speedy recovery for all those injured.
“Elections are not war and should never be, they are and should be for service to God and country and not conquest with the barrel of the gun.
“The rate of killings, thuggery, ballot snatching, voter suppression and other forms of electoral malpractices – some aided and abetted by security agencies- in these elections portend great danger to our democracy and the survival of the Nigerian nation, since the will of the people as expressed in the ballot does not always count.
“It is unbelievable that 20 years after return to civilian rule, Nigeria is still stuck in the dark, primitive and uncivilised age where elections are seen as war and a do-or-die affair.
“The killers of Hon Sugar and all those who lost their lives in election related violence must be brought to book.
“We call on the President and Commander-in-Chief to set up a commission to investigate these killings and bring the perpetrators to book,” the Speaker said.
