The Governor of Kaduna state governor, Nasir el Rufai, has threatened that any “foreign powers” who try to interfere in the forthcoming general election will go back in body bags, as he appeared as a guest on a popular TV programme, NTA Live anchored by Cyril Stober.
El Rufai whose statement was allegedly directed at United States, European Union and the United Kingdom who have shown doubts, saying the coming elections in Nigeria may not be credible, as they alleged that the executive arm of the Nigerian government of undermining the democratic tenets and principle of separation of powers, citing the recent suspension of Justice Walter Onnoghen as the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, by President Muhammadu Buhari.
El Rufai speaking on the issue, said:
“Those that are calling for anyone to come and intervene in Nigeria, we are waiting for the person that would come and intervene, they would go back in body bags.” “Nobody will come to Nigeria and tell us how to run our country. We have got our 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.
“We know their history, we also know their own stages of development and they went through these challenges. So, please, let us work together, let us challenge one another, but don’t lecture us.”
Mr El Rufai warned that individual countries had no right to violate Nigeria’s sovereignty.
Nigerians have been reacting ever since the alleged statement by the Governor of Kaduna State.