The Nigerian Bar Association has resolved to withdraw its invitation to Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, following protests from some lawyers.
This was made known on Thursday via its Twitter handle @NigBarAssoc that 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to the Kaduna State Governor, H.E. Nasir El-Rufai, by the 2020 Annual General Conference Planning committee be withdrawn and a decision communicated to the Governor.”
A petition to stop the governor from attending the Annual General Conference which was started by a lawyer, Usani Odum, had attracted over three thousand, one hundred and fifty signatures on Change.Org as at when this report was filed.
In a separate letter titled, ‘Request to Withdraw the Offer of Platform at the 2020 Annual General Conference of the NBA to Nasir el-Rufai,’ addressed to the Chairman, Technical Committee on Conference Planning, NBA, Prof. Koyinsola Ajayi, some lawyers said the governor must not be allowed to speak at the conference having listed ten allegations against him and his son, Bello, who is a Special Adviser to Kaduna Central lawmaker, Senator Uba Sani.
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The lawyers also referenced many controversial utterances of the governor, including a threat during the run-up to the general elections in 2019 that any foreigner that interfered in the poll would leave Nigeria in body bags.
Among other allegations are human rights abuses and his inability to stop the killings, particularly in southern Kaduna.
The NBA virtual conference, which holds from August 24-26, 2020, is expected to have Vice-President Yemi Osinbajo and others to grace the occasion.
