* We must remove this tyrant in 2027 – Former Kaduna governor
Sani Abdullahi
Following the failed attempt to arrest a former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai at Abuja airport yesterday, a former Vice President and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar has assured him of his support.
Atiku, who stated this yesterday during a solidarity visit to the former Kaduna State governor at his residence, while condemning the incident said it was an embarrassment to the entire political class.
Recall that there was a mild drama yesterday at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport when some persons believed to be operatives of the Department of State Service, DSS, attempted to arrest Mallam Nasir El-Rufai upon his return to the country.
“But let me also use this opportunity to strongly condemn what has happened today at the airport”, Atiku said, noting that the incident was against Democratic norms and the rule of law.
He continued “There’s absolutely no reason for the authorities to try to embarrass you at the airport, not only you, embarrass all Nigerians because this is a democratic society based on the rule of law.
There was absolutely no need for them to try to kidnap you from the airport. They could allow you return to your house and then invite you normally.
You have held very very high positions in government in this country. You are a minister, you are a governor and you successfully performed your functions. There was no need for them to try to embarrass you. By embarrassing you, they are entirely embarrassing the entire political class and we condemn it in totality. And we will stand by you and we will protect your interest and interest of law-abiding Nigerians particularly, the ADC.
“Just as they undermine and sabotage the PDP, there are also efforts and plans to undermine the ADC by using the judiciary again. We must be alert and we must stand up against that plan to undermine the opposition.
This is a very very credible information, so we should all be at alert to make sure that the judiciary is not used to undermine the ADC just as it has been used to undermine and destroy the PDP.
We must all unite and stand up to all these anti-democratic forces”.
Responding, Mallam El-Rufai while thanking the former Vice President for his concerns maintained that the event has further reinforced his belief in efforts to unseat President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, whom he described as ‘tyrant’, in 2027.
“Your Excellency, you have always shown concern for my personal welfare and that of our friends and associates. This visit further enforces that concerns for which I will remain eternally grateful.
Your Excellency, what happened at the airport today as you correctly observed is most unfortunate. Totally unacceptable and probably criminal as well. Because, agencies have rules of engagement and all I asked for: give me a letter of invitation and I will visit your office. But it turned out that it was the ICPC that procured the DSS to abduct me and handover me to them.
“The ICPC has never contacted me or sought to invite me up to the point we were at the airport. The EFCC had written but I was out of the country. My lawyer wrote to them to say that I would be returning and that I will be there on Monday at 10 am. But the ICPC, we never had anything from them.
But we understand that it was the ICPC and not the EFCC that was responsible for what happened and the ICPC was acting on the direct orders from Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser.
“We have reduced the security agencies to be arms of a political party and government that knows that it is unelectable but wants to remain in power at all costs.
Your Excellency, I assure you that what has happened today has further reinforced my belief that we must work hard. We must not sleep between now and 2027 until we remove this tyrant”.
