Northern Youths Carpet El-Rufai Over Statement On Election Observers

(El-Rufai)

Joint Action Committee on Northern Youth Associations (JACON) on Thursday came hard over what they called inflammatory statement credited to Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.

The Governor, had during a live programme on a national television, threatened lives of local and foreign election observers who try to interfare in the 2019 elections in Nigeria.

The Convener of JACON, Murtala Abubakar in a statement made available to newsmen in Kaduna said, the statement was not meant well for an average reasonable Nigerians and should be condemned in its entirety.

He said, “the recent outburst and threat to the international community, especially election observers by Kaduna State Governor Nasir Ahmad El-rufai is not surprising. What is surprising is extending it outside the shore of Kaduna and Nigeria, targeting the international community who are interested in fair, transparent, credible and peaceful elections in Nigeria.

“This is not new. But as northern youths, we have resolved not to be drawn into any act that will lead to loss of lives and property in Kaduna State, the region or the nation as a whole.

“For the record, Governor El-rufai is no stranger to such inflamatary statement meant to stock ember of discord and results in violence. But we have seen through his veiled calls to violence.

“El-rufai is known to have called the opposition in Kaduna termites and ants and should be crushed. He has asked those who asked questions on his style of scothearth leadership to climb Kufena Hill and jump to their death.

“The most recent and bizzare was his allusion to a religious icon; the celebrated and revered Catholic leader, The Pope. That statement was meant to infuriate the Catholics and Christians to cause religious conflict. But we thank the Christian community for their restrain and the show of maturity by not playing into the hands of the governor.

“Nigeria like the governor said in this last infamous interview on a national television, has been involved in other countries to ensure they have a peaceful and credible elections. What is wrong to ensure Nigeria does same with other countries as observers?

El-rufai’s statement that “those that are calling for anyone to intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person to come and intervene. They would go back in body bags because nobody would come to Nigeria and tell us how to run our country” is unfortunate, condemnable, a call to violence and veiled threat to all peace loving people.”

He however, appealed to the security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and property before, during and after the forthcoming elections, just as he urged the international and the election observers not to bow to threats such as the one coming from El-rufai.