NBA ‘finds el-Rufai guilty’, withdraws invitation to Gov El-Rufai as 2020 Conference Speaker

*It’s using Southern Kaduna to play 2023 politics to destroy governor – Supporters

*Wonders lawyers say governor of number one state in Ease of Doing Business is a bad person

*Say, “It’s ok, NBA off your mic”

“How come some people in Lagos are pretending to know a child more than his parents claim to tell the Kaduna story better than the governor and majority of the Kaduna State people? Their aim is to stop his 2023 chance as Vice Presidential candidate to a South West Presidential candidate and we can only say it takes people who don’t believe in God to think like they do. To us, it is in this same plan the NBA is involved that Obadiah Mailafiya also found himself when he acted on unverifiable information to say a Northern governor is commander of Boko Haram,” he said.

The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), appearing to have found Mallam Nasir el-Rufai guilty of the killings in Southern Kaduna, has withdrawn its invitation to the Kaduna State Governor as one of its speakers for the 2020 Annual General Conference.

The NBA disclosed this in a tweet on its official handle on Thursday and said the decision has been communicated to the Governor.

“The National Executive Committee of the Nigerian Bar Association at its ongoing meeting resolves that the invitation to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir El-Rufai by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning committee be withdrawn and decision communicated to the Governor,” the NBA said.

In a swift reaction, however, supporters, sensing foul play that the association of lawyers decided to take side with unfounded rumours against their governor, dismissed the NBA saying “If these lawyers and their media collaborators are that important, why were they unable to stop el-Rufai’s popularity not only during the local government elections where he taught his adversaries lessons but also during the 2019 governorship elections they already concluded he would lose gallantly just because his archenemies in Southern Kaduna find sympathy of people like these?”

One of them who spoke to The DEFENDER said, “The similitude of what these sadist elements are doing against this strongman of Kaduna and APC chief strategist is like that of what PDP did trying to destroy the image of General Muhammadu Buhari in the build-up to 2015 general elections because they didn’t want him to emerge as presidential candidate of APC. Despite bombing him killing many of his aides and innocent people around the scene of bombing, despite using the death of his late daughter to run hate campaigns against him, despite using unrecorded corruption indictment to campaign against him, Buhari not only emerged candidate, he also won big way,” he said, adding by warning the NBA to steer clear of el-Rufai as, according to the source, Nasir is a huge load unfitting for the head of little child.

He said, “Some Nigerians are very highly disappointing. You are suggesting Babangida Zulum, el-Rufai’s fellow brother governor to replace him in a conference as speaker saying he is better than him. Zulum is doing well in Borno likewise long before him el-Rufai had been doing well in Kaduna. Don’t forget they themselves have been celebrating him for making Kaduna Number One of 36 states in Ease of Doing Business. Over an age-long issue deliberately orchestrated by organised elements they know, they suddenly changed. How come some people in Lagos are pretending to know a child more than his parents claim to tell the Kaduna story better than the governor and majority of the Kaduna State people? Their aim is to stop his 2023 chance as Vice Presidential candidate to a South West Presidential candidate and we can only say it takes people who don’t believe in God to think like they do.

“To us, it is in this same plan the NBA is involved that Obadiah Mailafiya also found himself when he acted on unverifiable information to say a Northern governor is commander of Boko Haram. We had belief that if his senselessness was not checked by DSS, his next outburst was to mention el-Rufai. Are they the only ones feeling the pains of Southern Kaduna? We all bear the brunt. Why are they misrepresenting situation to cause confusion in the land? Please let the NBA OFF ITS MIC,” he said.

Prior to El-Rufai’s withdrawal, a petition had been filed to stop the Kaduna leader from attending the Conference.

“The senseless killings in Southern Kaduna must stop. The political correctness of Governor El-Rufai on national TV is diversionary,” the petition read.

“It is a reversal to have him speak to lawyers on security when Governor (Babagana) Zulum of Borno a better person can do so.

“We may not be able to do anything to stop the killings, but we can stop the governor from speaking at the NBA-AGC to show our disapproval of the manner he has handled the situation!!”

The petition which was started by a lawyer, Usani Odum has generated about 3,150 signatures on Change.Org as of 4 pm on Thursday, August 20th, 2020 according to a report published on the website of a privately owned television station in Nigeria.

Equally, a human rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) had called for the removal of the Governor from the list of speakers for the event.

In a letter addressed to the Chairman, Technical Committee, Conference Planning Committee (NBA), Konyinsola Ajayi (SAN), Falana based his decision on the crisis in Southern Kaduna.

According to him, the committee should not allow someone who allegedly has a penchant for promoting impunity to mount its platform.

This year’s NBA conference which takes place from August 24-26, 2020, will have several dignitaries including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo and the Attorney-General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), in attendance.

The event will also see the former Governor of Anambra State, Peter Obi; Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State and a former Education Minister, Obiageli Ezekwesili speaking.

According to the NBA, the theme of this year’s conference is: ‘Am I a Nigerian – A Debate on National Identity, the Indigeneship-Citizenship Conundrum.”

In the meantime, the never shaken Kaduna State governor says he is not deterred by decision of lawyers to think to take side with against the him, despite open truths about Southern Kaduna crisis, in removing him as a speaker at his conference.

“NBA platform or not, these worthy conversations must continue. He will continue to make his voice heard on the things our country needs to do for its progress,” he said in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Mr. Muyiwa Adekeye.