Moghalu’s YPP condemns el-Rufai’s threat

The Young Progressives Party (YPP) has called on Nigerians to be calm and peaceful, ahead of the general election in spite of the provocative comments by Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai.

The governor had threatened to send back foreign observers seeking to intervene in the forthcoming elections in body bags.

In a statement in Abuja, National Publicity Secretary of the YPP, Comrade Wale Egbeola, disclosed that Governor El-Rufai’s careless statement was not made in error but an expression borne out of desperation having gauged the mood of the nation and apathy towards the ruling party.

He said, “The YPP strongly condemn the recent “body bag” comment made by the Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-rufai on a national television.

“We are not surprised that such a statement is coming from a man reputed for presiding over a state with the highest level of violence not caused by terrorism but fuelled by ethno-religious hate.

“We hereby call on the international observers not to be deterred by the empty noise of a man who is only a puppet of a party destined to incur the wrath of Nigerians for their four years of misgovernance.”

Egbeola urged, the international community, to through this latest threat, narrow their search light on El-Rufai and his goons in the ruling party and hold them responsible should there be violence after the forthcoming general elections.

According to him, the ambition of some few desperate selfish individuals is not worth the life of a single Nigeria.

“Conclusively, Nigerians should remain calm, peaceful and resolute in making sure that never again does a party like the APC with so much venom, get to the corridors of power starting with a protest vote come Feb. 16, 2019,” he advised.

Mr Kingsley Moghalu, a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), is the flagbearer of the YPP in forthcoming Presidential election.

In a similar development, the Hope Party has described El-rufai’s statement as a threat meant to cow the international community to conform and look away from the alleged compromised electoral system and rigged election.

A statement by the Owuru Presidential Campaign Organisation (OPCD), representing the Hope Democratic Party (HDP), presidential candidate Ambrose Owuru urged Nigerians and the world to be alert at this crucial period.

“Nigeria and the world should be wiser; no democratic election can come from an already compromised electoral system and rigged election when the sitting president has literally suspended the constitution.

“And his ruling party refused to sign into law the parliamentary passed electoral reform bills that would have guaranteed a democratic free and fair election through electronic collation and transmission of election results but rather wants the old discredited manual collation and announcement of result superintendent by their known kins and kits.

“It is our believe and responsibility as a party to see to the institution of a welfare state to reduce poverty and the gap between the rich and the poor in the land, by providing free education, free health care system, social housing and free mass transit and interest free investment funds for industrialisation and creation of jobs.

“It is our believe that where the constitution is presently suspended and judiciary is hamstrung and held down, what manner of election and democracy do we have or is left.

“This is the fear of government that must not be exposed or pry into by the international community; we believe we are not in a banana republic. We are Nigerians,” the campaign organisation said in a statement.

The organisation explained that the HDP had instituted a case against the government on the alleged suspension of the constitution by the Federal Government following the suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria.

“Issues are presently before the Federal high Court and we believe will be resolved in due time before the presidential election to know if we can proceed or not under the prevailing circumstances where our constitution is literally suspended and there is no longer rule of law such that the governor of a state in the 36 states in Federation now dictates and threatens everyone, presenting and exposing the plan of the government.”