President Muhammadu Buhari has directed security operatives to ensure violence-free elections in Ondo and Rivers states. He retorted that if an election cannot be conducted in one state, what will happen in 2019 when the whole country will go to polls.

In a statement issued by the presidential spokesman, Garba Shehu, on Tuesday, the president said this while speaking at a state dinner in Benin, the Edo state.

Buhari said the forthcoming governorship elections in Ondo and national and state assembly rerun elections in Rivers, would serve as a litmus test for the general election in 2019.

‘‘What happened in Kogi, Bayelsa and Rivers state disturbs me a lot,” he said.

‘‘I think we should go beyond these actions. Why do we kill each other? Putting tyres on people and setting them ablaze.

‘‘I have told the law enforcement agencies, if we can’t conduct an election in one state then we should forget about 2019.”

Acknowledging the role played by Adams Oshiomhole,  outgoing governor of the state,  in ensuring the success of the APC in the last governorship election in the state, the president challenged Godwin Obaseki, the governor-elect, to continue in Oshiomhole’s footsteps of providing purposeful leadership in terms of quality infrastructure, education and social services.

‘‘The publicity your predecessor has given his performance is going to stretch you to the limit,” he said.

“Considering what he has down, you have to continue in his footsteps. We wish you the best of luck and will do our best to support you.”

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