BY SHOLA OSHUNKEYE
- ‘Those that are calling for anyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person that would come and intervene, they would go back in body bags.’ -el-Rufai on NTA’s Tuesday Night Live
- ‘We call on the international community to immediately impose a travel ban on el-Rufai for this inciting comment against peaceful elections in our country.’ -PDP
- ‘While the security of EU observers is of paramount importance, and will remain under constant review, EU observers will continue their work across the country in the run-up to – and beyond – the 16 February elections’ -EU
- ‘…Every patriot can understand. He stood up for Nigeria’s dignity in the wake of those who would traduce their country and reduce it to the status of a colony in their vain quest for power’ -Gov. Rufai’s aide
Those who know Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, the petite Governor of Kaduna State Governor, from his days as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, to his current position, would attest to the fact that he is one brave man who takes the bull by the horns, and who calls a spade by its name. Such persons will also attest that the man will not sue you for defamation if you call him Mr. Controversy. He never shies from it; he gives as much as he takes. In fact, controversy seems coded in his DNA.
But it appears he took his devil-may-perish approach to issues a bit far on Tuesday, when, on a late night programme on the network of Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, Tuesday Night Live, he declared: “Those that are calling for anyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person that would come and intervene, they would go back in body bags.”
Body bags? Not a few Nigerians thought that was a very strong language. They raged and railed against it.
And the parties? It was a blunder most of them couldn’t refuse the temptation of converting to a political goal. Chief among them was the People’s Democratic Party, PDP.
Not one to allow a golden opportunity to make a huge political harvest from that Freudian slip by el-Rufai, PDP, Nigeria’s main opposition party, went straight for the jugular of its arch-rival, the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The PDP promptly jumped on the declaration and called a press conference in which its national publicity secretary, Kola Ologbondiyan, said his party might consider pulling out of the peace accord that political parties in the country signed recently in Abuja.
Not only that, Ologbondiyan also called on the international community to impose an immediate travel ban on el-Rufai for the explosive statement which his party said was capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of the 2019 general elections.
“Comments, threats and incendiary actions by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Buhari Presidency have been directly inimical to a peaceful, free and fair election,” Ologbondiyan had declared.
“The PDP is left with no option than to consider a review of its signatory in the national peace accord, if no action is immediately taken to curb this trend.”
The party wasn’t done, it continued: “Nigerians are still in a shock over comments by the governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai, who declared on a national television that members of the global democratic institutions that are working for a peaceful election in Nigeria will return to their countries in body bags. What a threat?
“We call on the international community to immediately impose a travel ban on el-Rufai for this inciting comment against peaceful elections in our country.”
Apart from the PDP, el-Rufai also came under heavy national umbrage as Nigerians, across board, rose in stout condemnation of the governor’s alarming declaration.
On Wednesday, the team of European Union election observers, who are on ground to monitor the vote, reacted to the governor’s statement, declaring that the threat would not deter it from doing its job during the elections slated for February 18 and March 2, 2019 respectively. However, the team said it would review its security arrangements before, during and after the elections.
In the statement read by Sarah Fradgley, the team declared: “We are aware of the comments by the Governor of Kaduna about non-interference by foreigners during a talk show on the elections Tuesday 5 February.
“The EU only deploys an election observation mission when it is invited to do so by the authorities of a country. The EU has been invited to observe all of the general elections in Nigeria since 1999. Thus this is the sixth time the EU is observing elections in Nigeria.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission invited the EU to deploy an observation mission for the 2019 general elections.
“EU election observation missions give commentary and analysis, and make recommendations about the electoral process. EU election observation missions are impartial, do not interfere in the electoral process, and operate according to a strict code of conduct.
“While the security of EU observers is of paramount importance, and will remain under constant review, EU observers will continue their work across the country in the run-up to – and beyond – the 16 February elections.
“For the last month the mission’s team in Abuja, as well as 40 long-term observers across the country, have followed the elections. We have met with a wide range of candidates, parties, election officials, security agencies, and civil society organisations, and have enjoyed good cooperation at federal and state levels.
“The mission looks at all aspects of the election, including the campaign tone, the transparency of the election administration, the neutrality of security forces, and the independence of the judiciary.”
No doubt, all the criticisms got to the governor and he weighed in on the issue on Wednesday, saying he never imputed any mayhem but was only defending his country’s sovereignty.
In the statement signed by Samuel Aruwan, his spokesperson, Governor el-Rufai said: “Affirming that a country will defend itself against needless intervention is the kind of statement you expect to hear from a patriot. It is not a call for violence.”
Below is the full text of Aruwan’s statement:
“A notorious trait of the characters that constitute the opposition in Nigeria is the manufacture of outrage on flimsy grounds. However, contriving anger on false premises and summoning a din of feverish commentary will not alter the facts. Election season is regarded as silly season in some quarters, but it is a very serious moment.
“When Malam Nasir El-Rufai appeared on NTA’s Tuesday Night Live, he made comments every patriot can understand. He stood up for Nigeria’s dignity in the wake of those who would traduce their country and reduce it to the status of a colony in their vain quest for power.
“The video of his comments is in circulation. Any fair-minded person with modest familiarity with the English language and unimpaired comprehension can understand it. It does not contain any call for violence. What it is-a powerful defence of sovereignty. Are some sections of our political class implying that they will acquiesce in or collaborate with foreign intervention in our country?
“Affirming that a country will defend itself against needless intervention is the kind of statement you expect to hear from a patriot. It is not a call for violence. Warning about the consequences of meddling in another country’s affairs is legitimate.
“Non-interference in the affairs of other countries is a basic principle of international law. Threatening to intervene in another country implies the use of force. Those who are basing their electoral calculations on foreign intervention need to be discouraged. Only the lawful votes of the Nigerian people should make or unmake governments.
“Malam Nasir El-Rufai has issued a powerful call for vigilance and a clear notice that other countries should not mistake the supine posture of the opposition for national weakness.
“Malam Nasir El-Rufai has stood firmly against those who have been trying to divide Nigerians on ethnic and religious lines. He is resolutely opposed to violence, and firmly committed to peace and harmony.
“Let the false outrage stop.”
Well, the outrage will surely abate but the lessons must be learnt. Chief among them is: when you are under the klieg light, whether as politician or official of government or as private citizen, never get too emotional when reacting to emotive issues. Be calm as cucumber.