Buhari supports El-Rufai on foreigners’ death threat

• Says statement made in national interest

President Muhammadu Buhari has thrown his weight behind Governor Masir El-Rufai of Kaduna State on his death threat to foreign observers of the 2019 general elections in Nigeria. The President through his Senior Special Assistant, Garba Shehu, stated that after noting the clarification of the governor, Nigerians are advised not to have disquiet feelings over the statement made by the Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, insisting that the governor’s statement was made for the interest of the country.

Garba Shehu had declared: “We have taken note of the clarification to a reported statement made by the Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufa’i, concerning opposition call for foreign interference in our domestic affairs and to say that latest statements by him should rest the issue for good.

“There is nothing more to sneeze at. The governor spoke strongly in defence of national interest. It is clear that El-Rufa’i, our party, the All Progressives Congress, and all its candidates have reposed their faith in democracy through general elections. It’s immoral to change Delta power sharing pact for Ogboru—Izoukumor.

“They are all of the view that there is no place for violence against local people or foreign citizens in our midst. The Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari will cooperate with election observers and will not let the international community down in the conduct of the coming elections.

“The Presidency assures Nigerians and the international community that the President will do everything within his power to ensure free, fair and credible elections in the country.”

Governor El-Rufai on Tuesday Live on the NTA last Tuesday night had threatened that foreign observers who intervene in the forthcoming elections in Nigeria would go home in body-bags.