Gov El-Rufai Slams US, UK, EU’s Comments On Onnoghen’s Suspension

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State condemned the comments of the US, the UK and the EU on President Muhammadu Buhari’s suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Justice Walter Onnoghen.

The US, UK and EU had expressed reservations about the legality of Onnoghen’s suspension unilaterally by the president without the input of the National Assembly.

They also expressed reservation about the timing of Onnoghen’s suspension against the backdrop of an allegation by the opposition parties that Buhari wanted to take control of the judiciary ahead of the general elections.

However, reacting while speaking on Tuesday on NTA, El-Rufai said the foreign countries had no right to lecture Nigerians how to run their country.

El-Rufai said, “They (the comments) were based on non-information and they are most irresponsible and I am happy that the Presidency responded to them.

“As Nigerians, we must understand that these guys can sit pretty in their country and say things but when the crisis breaks we are here. We are the victims, our wives and children are the victims, and we must rise up and unite and say that no to violence in this country.”

El-Rufai also condemned the petitions sent to the US, the UK, the EU, Germany, and France by the opposition, calling on the foreign countries to prevail upon Buhari not to derail the nation’s democracy.

“Those that are calling for everyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person that will come and intervene. They will go back in body bags. Because nobody will come to Nigeria and tell us how to run our country. We’ve got that independence and we are trying to run our country as decently as possible and we know the history of those countries that are trying to teach us these things; we have read their history. We also know that in their stages of development they went through these challenges.

“So, please, let’s work together; let’s advise one another but don’t lecture us,” he said.