The Dutse branch of the Nigerian Bar Association in Jigawa State has asked the National Executive Committee of the NBA to re-invite Kaduna State Governor, Nasir el-Rufai, to the Annual General Conference of the association.

The Dutse branch of the NBA said if el-Rufai is not re-invited, it would boycott the virtual conference which holds between August 24 and August 26, 2020.

The threat is contained in a statement by the Chairman of the Dutse branch, Garba Abubakar.

While condemning the decision of the NBA to exclude el-Rufai from the conference, the branch said the governor should have been given the right to respond to the allegations levelled against him.

It said it was strange that the NBA could exclude el-Rufai and retain Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State who has also been accused of several human rights infractions.

The branch said it would not allow a section of the country to take the organisation for a ride as they all had a fair understanding of the law.

The statement read in part, “If complaints are to be judged on their face value and without due process, similar treatment is to (be) given to the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, who has serious allegations of abuse of human rights against him to the extent of demolition (of) residential houses and place of worship without observing due process.

“A section of the country cannot, therefore, take us for a ride as we all have a fair understanding of the law. On the strength of this, therefore, we call on the national body under President Usoro (SAN), to reverse the decision with immediate effect else the Nigerian Bar Association, Dutse branch, will boycott the virtual Annual General Conference taking place in a few days.”

Meanwhile, ugamatv has learnt that although the NBA has withdrawn its invitation to el-Rufai, the petition to prevent the governor from attending the conference has risen to over 4, 300 on Change.Org even as several activists have hailed the decision of the NBA.