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Mon. Jul 14th, 2025 4:12:50 AM
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A group of lawyers under the aegis of the Open Bar Initiative have petitioned the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to withdraw its invitation to Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, to speak at the association’s annual general conference, saying it would amount to rewarding bad behavior.

 

“As Governor, Mallam el-Rufai has shown no regard for the rule of law, for human rights or for human beings…He has been reckless in his utterances, hubristic in his outlook and irresponsible with power. Offering him the platform of the NBA Annual General Conference 2020 is reward for misrule,” the petition read.

 

In the petition to Koyinsola Ajayi (SAN), Chairman of the Technical Committee on the NBA Conference Planning, the lawyers described the invitation as a “reward for misrule.” The Convener of the group, Silas Onu, said El-Rufai “represents the very anti-thesis of what we profess to defend.”

 

The group also said that in addition to governing a state that has been described as “the most dangerous state in Nigeria in 2020, el-Rufai has on several occasions abused the rights of Nigerians.” It added that “a major focus of the intolerance of Malam el-Rufai has been lawyers and the legal profession,” recalling when, in 2016, the governor allegedly threatened to abduct Gloria Ballason, a lawyer, “because she had criticised him in a news article.”

 

The lawyers further said while speaking at the conference may be argued as an opportunity for el-Rufai to be examined by the participants, lawyers who have criticized him “have suffered untold persecution” from the governor.

 

Kayode Fayemi disowns 2023 presidential posters

 

The chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF) and Ekiti state Governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, has distanced himself from posters circulating on social media indicating his interest in the 2023 presidential elections, dismissing them as a contrived distraction.

 

Ikere LGA chairman, Femi Ayodele, yesterday published the poster with presidential-ambition bearing Fayemi’s portrait on social media; but Fayemi, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, said he was not oblivious of the distraction such action will cause the government, denying ever authorizing such action.

 

Debunking the claim, Fayemi said: “The attention of the state governor has been drawn to news reports of a campaign poster being purportedly circulated on social media by the Chairman of Ikere LGA, Mr. Femi Ayodele. Ayodele is reported to be canvassing support for Fayemi for the 2023 presidential election with the poster which was designed with the logo of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

 

“However, mindful of the possible interpretation such an unauthorized act could be given by well-meaning members of the public, we consider it important to state as follows: ‘Fayemi does not have any knowledge of the campaign poster neither did he authorize Ayodele or any person or group of persons to start a campaign on his behalf’.

 

“As a matter of fact, Ayodele does not and cannot speak for the governor on any matter, be it policy, administrative or political. The governor has reiterated that he has a four-year mandate as the governor of Ekiti State, and he is focused on actualizing his promises to the people of the state through pragmatic leadership and systemic implementation of his administration’s five pillars of development.

 

“This also serves as a note of caution to political appointees, government functionaries, political associates and groups to operate within the ambit of decency and steer clear of actions that are capable of distracting the government, the party and the governor.”

 

 

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