EARLY ELECTION FRAUD: President Abdelaziz Bouteflika Claims to Have Millions of Signatures for His Campaign But Once Again Offers Scant Evidence

Ailing Algeria President Abdelaziz Bouteflika says he has millions of campaign signatures calling for his fourth term, but refuses to deliver any evidence.

It seems that you can’t indeed teach and old dog like Abdelaziz Bouteflika new tricks. He’s resorting to the same clandestine tactics that saw him illegally elected three times in a row. That said, his third election was entirely illegal. What does a dictator do to keep in office? Why they amend the constitution and make it legal for them to serve as many terms as they please, something that Bouteflika did internally without the backing of the people prior to running for his illegal third term in 2004 (and winning in a contest that many people say was entirely rigged).

Same Old Tricks, Same Old Sick Puppy

With his ailing health being in serious question, Bouteflika has not had much time to much of anything but to sit in a hospital bed. He’s only been seen in public one time in the past two years, on a TV address where he appeared to be very frail and very ill. That said, his newest announcement purports that he’s gathered millions of ballot signatures from people that desire for him to enjoy a fourth term of his dictatorship. Sources say that people have been forced to sign the forms or risk losing their jobs. Other sources purport that militants have moved from city to city either forging signatures or using intimidating tactics to force people to sign them. The AADL housing units in the slums were also approached, with many people saying they were forced to sign or lose their housing allowances, which they could not afford to do.

So it seems that you can’t, indeed, teach an old dog any new tricks. Abdelaziz Bouteflika is resorting to the same fraud that saw him seize power and keep it for the past 15 years. If so many people wanted him in office, then why would they be rallying behind Ali Benflis and demanding change. Then again, why would they protesting by the thousands in planned marches. And also, why would nearly every other political party be boycotting this election saying that it’s riddled with fraud and illegal? It’s been the same status quo since 2004, when Abdelaziz Bouteflika illegally gained a third presidential term.

One last thing: he claims these 4 million signatures were gathered in just a meager 48 hours, telling of how impossible an undertaking it truly was. And where’s the proof? That’s just it… none has been offered!