Labour Party campaign spokesman debunks Governor El-Rufai’s claim of detention by Peter Obi
* Says Kaduna Governor’s statement, a lie from the pit of hell
By Joy Okosieme
The claim by Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai in Kaduna on Monday that Labour Party’s(LP) presidential candidate, Peter Obi had him detained for 48 hours in 2013 when he visited the state to monitor elections, has been described as a lie.
Dr. Yunusa Tanko, Chief Spokesperson of the LP’s Presidential Campaign Council who was at the time of the alleged detention, chairman of the Inter-Party Advisory Council(IPAC), addressing a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, said he was in Awka, the capital of Anambra State and so witnessed all that transpired.
Reading from a statement titled, ‘SETTING THE RECORDS STRAIGHT ON EL-RUFAI’s BLATANT LIES ON LABOUR PARTY PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE, PETER OBI’, Dr. Tanko said he lodged at the same hotel with Governor El Rufai and witnessed events as they unfolded.
He said at the time, it was operatives of the Department of State Services(DSS), who were responsible for restricting the movement of the Kaduna State Governor who was in Awka to monitor the election as the Deputy National Secretary of the All Progressives Congress(APC).
Showing photographs to journalists including one taken with Governor El-Rufai and other officials of IPAC, Dr. Tanko said:
“Actually on the 16th of November, 2013, I was the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC), chairman then, I was in charge of all political parties leaders, we were at the Finotel Hotel in Awka, Anambra State. Normally all complaints that comes from any political Party comes to our table, we had a situation room, organized by international Republican Institute, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and my humble self and many others actually stayed in the same hotel.
“I was surprised that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was claiming that he was attacked or more less been gagged because when he complained, we really investigated and we conducted a press conference on the matter as signifying the fact that Mallam Nasir El-Rufai was at that time the deputy National Secretary of APC , and so he should be allowed to perform his duty according to party’s dictates and then, there was no ambiguity because the security present at that time was to protect all senior personnel of political parties in that hotel.
“So the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, who was the governor of the state at that time has nothing to do with any security issue that was labeled on him by Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
“I have photos to prove how we addressed a press conference at Finotel Hotel, Awka condemning the DSS for illegally detaining El-Rufai. He never for once mentioned Peter Obi all through this long process of helping him get out of the jam.”
The LP presidential campaign’s Chief Spokesperson said that with the digitalization of communications technology, it is easy to get hold of the facts noting that when the same El-Rufai went to court on the same issue, Obi was not mentioned rather it was the DSS and he got a judgment against them.
“The court awarded him N2million for damages for unlawful detention. Go into the internet and you will see the full details. Precisely it was published in Premium times and Sahara Reporters of September 24th, 2014.
Here are the links/Photos
1.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/168796-unlawful-detention-court-orders-sss-to-apologise-to-el-rufai
2./saharareporters.com/2014/09/29/unlawful-
“The facts are all there for all discerning Nigerians to see that all he has been saying are tissues of lies deliberately designed to rubbish our presidential candidate.
He urged Nigeria to ignore the”rantings” of the Kaduna State Governor and treat such stories with disdain because they are from the pit of hell orchestrated by the APC government that has already drowned and cannot be revived with fictional stories.
“Gentlemen of the press, you know it’s not in the labour party’s character to discuss personality, we and indeed our candidate dwell on issues and my appeal to you as the fourth estate of the realm is to stand up and save this democracy and save our dear nation from gullible elites.
“What we can assure is that labour party by the grace of God if we win, will rebuild this country in such a way that only the upright people and not the crooks will direct the affairs of our nation going forward”, Dr. Tanko said.
