By JACOB ONJEWU DICKSON
House of Justice, a multi-door justice house in Kaduna- Nigeria, has protested the nomination of the immediate past governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasir Ahmad el-Rufai, as Minister of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, stating as basis for the protest, his abysmal human rights violations and mass atrocities record especially during his eight-year tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
The Petition which was signed by Gloria Mabeiam Ballason Esq, the Chief Executive Officer and Advocacy Lead of the organization, cited among other reasons for objection, el-Rufai’s admission of being an accessory to murder by paying killers, arbitrary demolition of property of citizens and political opponents, sacking teachers and withholding their salaries, imprisonment and sacking of traditional rulers, journalists and activists as well as the persecution of the Southern Kaduna people.
The petition further noted that there was a pending verdict of Nigeria’s parliament that declared el-Rufai as not fit and proper to occupy public office and that international reports such as the 2020 and 2023 British All Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) and Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) reports, dishonourably indicted the former governor.
The petition which had attached evidence of the allegations against the embattled former governor, also noted that el-Rufai has no respect for the constitution, rule of law or the code of conduct for public officers and could only fit into a dictatorship and not a democracy.
The petition was signed as received by the office of the Senate President.
