Unic Press UK: Kaduna State governor Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai will not be among the speakers during the 2020 Annual General Conference of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), because an invitation to the governor has been cancelled by the NBA’s Executive Committee.
In a tweet Thursday, the NBA said that an invitation to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir El-Rufai by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning Committee has been “withdrawn”.
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to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir El-Rufai by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning committee be withdrawn and decision communicated to the Governor.
— Nigerian Bar Association (@NigBarAssoc) August 20, 2020
NBA decision to withdraw its earlier invitation to the Kaduna State governor is not unconnected to public outcry cum lawyers’ revolt against allowing el-Rufai to attend/speak at the general conference.
The NBA must have done a rethink because the governor’s actions/decisions seem to be incontrovertible proof that the Kaduna State administration disregards/violates human rights and free speech.
A petition ‘Help stop Nasir El-Rufai from speaking at NBA AGC!’ by one Usani Odum on www.change.org has more than 4,000 signatories [and still counting].
Usani Odum said:
“The senseless killings in Southern Kaduna must stop!! The political correctness of Governor El-Rufai on national TV is diversionary. It is a reversal to have him speak to lawyers on security, when Governor Zulum of Borno is a better person to 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-Annual General Conference to show our disapproval of the manner he has handled the situation!!”
Reactions on Twitter
Bashir Elrufai thought we were joking when we raised our voices.
A tree can never be bigger than a forest.
El-rufai will never speak in our gathering, not now, not ever.We will never allow impunity to reign supreme.
Now, I'm going to go register and pay any fee required . https://t.co/FQGo1NJ3vh
— DEMAGOGUE PhD.💘senior advocat🎓 (@von_Bismack) August 20, 2020
BREAKING: We welcome decision by @NigBarAssoc to withdraw its invitation to Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai on ground of poor human rights record.
We also call on NBA NOT to invite @NigeriaGov /its reps to its events until President Buhari obeys ALL outstanding court orders
— SERAP (@SERAPNigeria) August 20, 2020
Someone should inform this badly raised son of El-rufai that the NBA has bowed to the pressure of Theo and Agnes collecting 15K allowance on Twitter.
His father's invitation has been withdrawn.He should go and address the killings in Southern Kaduna before speaking at the NBA pic.twitter.com/6RpXRtB6hT
— Kelvin Odanz (@MrOdanz) August 20, 2020
It would have been ridiculous and mockery of our collective intelligence to see El-rufai going to give a talk on "security" at the NBA.
Because as he is speaking at the conference, there is a likelihood that a family is being butchered in Southern Kaduna and houses getting razed
— Kelvin Odanz (@MrOdanz) August 20, 2020
