BY BEN AGANDE & HENRY UMORU

ABUJA-Former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, and co-ordinator of the Good Governance Group, 3G,  Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday dismissed the warning by the National Security Adviser, Gen. Owoeye Azazi, that voters should stay away after casting their votes in tomorrow’s and other subsequent elections, saying the NSA was joking and living in the past.

Addressing newsmen on the 2011 elections, Mallam El-Rufai said since the constitution conferred on the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, powers to regulate the conduct of the election, the NSA could not stop voters from being witness to history. “He does not set the rules for election,” said El-Rufai.

It would be recalled that the National Security Adviser, Gen Azazi, had told newsmen  on Wednesday that a high number of voters at a polling booth could be dangerous, saying it could be a recipe for mayhem.

In his reaction, however, Mallam El-Rufai noted that there was nothing wrong with voters staying behind to ensure that their votes were counted.

Speaking on the planned deployment of the military in the forthcoming elections, the former minister said it was not borne out of altruism.