AS opposition grows against the inclusion of Nasir El-Rufai, Governor of Kaduna State, as a speaker on the panel of the 2020 Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) annual conference, some Nigerians have mounted a campaign in defence of the governor, insisting on his appearance at the conference.

The conference themed “Step Forward” is scheduled to hold between August 26 and 29 virtually with El-Rufai listed among nine others including Vice President Yemi Osinbajo as speakers.

But some members of the association on Tuesday took to Twitter to vent their reservations about the invitation of the governor to the conference citing his poor handling of the killings in Southern Kaduna.

The lawyers threatened to withdraw their participation from the conference if organisers failed to remove El-Rufai from the panel of speakers.

On Wednesday, the Open Bar Initiative, a pressure group petitioned the NBA against El-Rufai’s invitation to the conference.

The group in a petition signed by Joseph Onu, its convener, and obtained by The ICIR stated that it was important for the NBA under the leadership of the president-elect, Olumide Akpata to remove El-Rufai from people scheduled to speak at the conference, citing the spate of insecurity in Kaduna State among other reasons.

Onu said that the Open Bar Initiative was appealing to the professional conscience of the NBA leaders and that of the organisers of the conference to withdraw the invitation extended to El-Rufai to save the association’s name.

While the organisers were yet to make any official statement on this demand, some other Nigerians on Wednesday mobilised on the internet to gather signatures against the appearance of the governor at the conference.

At the time of reporting on Wednesday, the petition, domiciled on Change.org had attracted over 400 signatures from Nigerians who did not want him at the conference.

However, another group of Nigerians has raised a counter petition, this time around, drumming support for the participation of the embattled Kaduna State governor.

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The petition lodged on Change.org and tagged: “To ensure Mallam Nasiru El-Rufai serve as one of the guest speakers at the AGC of NBA” has already garnered over 180 signatures at the time of filing this report.

In the petition created by one Abdulbasit Suleiman, it is stated that the governor has tried to curb the killings in Southern Kaduna and is described as a brilliant statesman, who is ‘vilified’ by the ‘elite whose feeding bottle the governor threw away.’

“In the history of Kaduna, we’ve never had a governor that’s responsive to the plight of Southern Kaduna and committed to ending the age-long crisis in the area than governor Elrufai, who conversely is also the most villified governor especially from the elite whose feeding bottle the governor threw away,” the petition read.

“What come to my mind is the crisis that erupted in southern Kaduna in 2018 when the governor was already airborne. He had to U-turn to Kaduna and spent 48 hours thereafter without sleep, going round the state for assessments and enforcement of curfew and intermittently having security meetings.

“But as usual some people are committed to hating him for what he does because it never favors them.”

Some of those who have signed the petition confirmed their support for El-Rufai, with some submitting that the governor is largely misunderstood.

“I believe it is a good cause. Most of the people castigating him(El-Rufai) are doing so based on uninformed sentiment and hearsay. Nobody can point to a reliable source indicting him of any wrongdoing,” Jamil EsGee said.

Another signatory, Shafiu MUDI saud: “Because he is an intellectual and has an enviable pedigree. He is worthy of invitation.”

READ MORE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/over-180-nigerians-sign-counter-petition-in-support-of-el-rufai-as-speaker-at-nba-conference/

Terrorist

Meaning Nigeria will become great again after his speech or what exactly?

Only fellow terrorists that are paying their mates for their own atrocities can do this.

stupid hypocritical fellow

"What come to my mind is the crisis that erupted in southern Kaduna in 2018 when the governor was already airborne. He had to U-turn to Kaduna and spent 48 hours thereafter without sleep, going round the state for assessments and enforcement of curfew and intermittently having security meetings"

I smell Pu here. This op definitely have a clear agenda to push this narrative in favour of Nasir. But the petition against is more than for. But I don't think it will mater because the organisers have already made their intention known and surely, invitation must have been sent and the man must have worked on his speech sef.

Everybody sa want to drink from the pool knowledge of the vice president Yemi Osinbajo


Issokay

Hell Rufai used his own mouth to buy hate

Honestly he is an intelligent man, just that he talks to recklessly


.

How can u invite El Rufai who does not respect the law to come and give a speech at NBA event.

What an irony of situation

He should go and address his bandits friends instead.

i dont know who gave nigerians the impression that this man is evil
he seems to me to be one of the politician that speaks truth in this country he is an educated man and seems to be the most enlightened politician from the north

honestly if he contest for president i will vote him he seems not to be like the reguler politician we have around

The humility and respect make people gathered round osinbajo

ok

In the petition created by one Aqbdulbasit Suleiman, it is stated that the governor has tried to curb the killings in Southern Kaduna and is described as a brilliant statesman, who is ‘vilified’ by the ‘elite whose feeding bottle the governor threw away.’


I was reading through to see the name of the person that initiated the support for the terrorist of a governor and I wasn't disappointed !!!

Na dem dem !!!

why do nigerians see this man as evil

he seems to me to be most enlightened politician we have right now . whenever he speaks he is making sense and talking truth

he doesnt look to me like other reguler politicians

spy24:
i dont know who gave nigerians the impression that this man is evil
he seems to me to be one of the politician that speaks truth in this country he is an educated man and seems to be the most enlightened politician from the north

honestly if he contest for president i will vote him he seems not to be like the reguler politician we have around

Did you just write all these with your hand ?

Well, your opinion though !!!

spy24:
i dont know who gave nigerians the impression that this man is evil
he seems to me to be one of the politician that speaks truth in this country he is an educated man and seems to be the most enlightened politician from the north

honestly if he contest for president i will vote him he seems not to be like the reguler politician we have around

you say this because you know nothing about the short hypocritical devil.. this guy is the first northern governor to open justify the atrocities of the fulani militants

Elrufai's past haunting the midget. Look at his disregard for the judiciary

180 APC zombies and their friends tried to rally round and save Little Finger from the disgrace but e no work