Threats don’t work in a democracy, Garba Shehu tells anti-Buhari protesters

Garba Shehu, senior special assistant to the president on media and publicity, says threats do not work in a democracy.

Addressing pro-Buhari supporters at the presidential villa, Abuja, Shehu described those demanding that the president resume or resign as an illegal assembly formed to frustrate the ongoing federal government’s campaign against corruption in the country.

He said the election of President Muhammadu Buhari was made possible by divine intervention.

“president Buhari became president through a democratic process and anyone who wishes to replace him can only do so through that same process and not by protests,” he said.

“He got into the Villa through democratic victory at election. Anybody desiring to replace him, whether you are wrestler, a hairdresser or a musician, you should go through that process. In a democracy, threats don’t work.”

Shehu maintained that the ‘Return or Resign’ group was organised to “deliver a body blow” to the war against corruption.

According to the presidential aide, any attempt to derail the war against corruption using subterfuge and bluff will not succeed.

“It might be taken for granted that the beneficiaries of the old order are fighting back. We have been warned that corruption will fight back,” he said.

“In a country where just one woman for having the opportunity to serve as minister has N47.2 billion and 487.5 million dollars of public resources in cash and property traced to her by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) you don’t expect the beneficiaries of that order to allow the Buhari administration some peace.

“They want to distract us. But what the Presidency wants to assure patriotic citizens is that the government will not bend.

“As far as the President is concerned, he has done the needful by handing the reins of authority to the Vice President. Since the law of the country does not give a time limit for the President’s return, it cannot be imposed by a saber-rattling musician.”

The presidential spokesman commended the CCSJ for being orderly in their demonstration and urged them to shun all provocations by opponents of the government.

“By divine intervention, Muhammadu Buhari unexpectedly got elected with the ostensible mandate of reversing national decline and securing its future,” he said.