The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), has condemned the Presidency, for saying that the death threat issued to members of the international community by Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, was in the interest of the country.
Recall that Governor El-Rufai, had threatened that foreigners looking to intervene in Nigeria’s forthcoming elections will leave in “body bags”, while speaking on the Nigerian Television Authority’s Tuesday Live.
HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, on Friday, called on the Chief of Army Staff Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai to keep the Kaduna state governor under security watch as he is now a terror suspect.
“We note the threat to kill off foreign observers as made by the Kaduna governor and the unconditional backing of this despicable, reprehensible and hate filled language of Governor Nasir El-Rufai by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We totally condemn these statements calling for bloodbath during the election targeting foreigners as made by El-Rufai and the support of this satanic statement by President Muhammadu Buhari.
“We ask Nigerians to reject violence and we ask the Chief of Army staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai to view Gov.El-Rufai as a terror suspect and keep him under surveillance”, he said.
Meanwhile, HURIWA also condemned plans to boycott the presidential election by the Indigenous People of Biafra.
Onwubiko said, “Nobody must be stopped from participating in the coming election. Any attempt to use crude tactics to stop the electorate from voting is hereby totally and absolutely condemned.
“We urge all Nigerians who are tired of the poverty situations that afflict millions of Nigerians to stand up and be counted in the historical decision to elect a new set of political leaders to deliver good governance; restructure the unworkable federation that Nigeria represents at the moment and deliver rapid economic growth”.
Onwubiko further said that Nigerians who boycott elections are public enemies because their action will foist on all, a choice of leadership that will keep Nigerians as slaves in perpetuity.
“We will return to this boycott issue and to show all Nigerians that it is futile to stay away from participation in the electoral process that will bring about the emergence of a crop of leaders that would pilot the affairs of the federation after the February polls”.
He further lamented the ineffectiveness of the Nigerian police, “Nigeria does not have an effective police, what we have is a pay as you go police. They have failed, that is why the military has to step in to stop anarchy unleashed by politicians.
“We support the pro-active roles of the Army as adopted by the COAS to stave off electoral violence. The NA is a professional outfit and the Army chief is aware of the significance of his operatives working under the legal frameworks of adherence to rules of engagement and in absolute compliance to the provisions of the Nigerian constitution.
“To that extent, we support him and urge him to always maintain professional decorum and check any excesses on the part of his operatives that will soil his illustrious career”, he said.
