Nasir el-Rufai, the former Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has reportedly been denied a new Nigerian international passport by the government. It is reported that el-Rufai went to the Nigerian High Commission in London to get a new international passport but was told to return for photographing and thumb-printing, but when he returned, el-Rufai was said to have been denied a new passport based on "orders from Abuja".
El-Rufai said “I was told by an official of the High Commission that there was a standing instruction from Abuja that I should not be issued with a new passport,”
However, political pundits interviewed were unanimous in their condemnation of the treatment meted out to El-Rufai, especially as he made the request in accordance with the rules.
This move has been condemned by pundits who say the action is unfair to El-Rufai, especially since he made the request in accordance with all the rules One source said "Not even the military went this far. And this is a government that claims to be better than its predecessors in terms of the rule of law. This level of pettiness should have no place in a serious government. Is Yar'Adua so idle as to concern himself with such issues?"
Others have alluded that the Federal government is viloating international law, human rights and the ECOWAS treaty.
EFCC has declared El-Rufai wanted for abuse of office and misappropriation of public funds since December 2008. And in April 2009, the EFCC Chairman Farida Waziri said El-Rufai would soon be repatriated to Nigeria to answer to the allegations against him saying "The case of Nasir el-Rufai has also been filed and the commission will soon commence the process of his extradition,"
"The views and opinions expressed in these comment(s) or article(s) do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of NGEX, its partners or its affiliates."
Steve Vienna, Austria September 19, 2009
All this mallams that have distroyed my fathers land should be brought to justice.
What is he doing in London?? He should go home and answer for his deeds. Period.
Tayo Dallas, USA September 19, 2009
Please, that we are abroad does not mean that we are uneducated. The last page of the passport reads "The passport remains the property of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and may be withdrawn at any time".
Let us keep sentiments down and use our heads more. The FGN has a right to withdraw, cancel or deny the issuance of a passport to an individual (just as America has a right to deny, cancel or withdraw your passport as a naturalized American).
cliff Baltimore, md, USA September 18, 2009
Hmmm! this is like yar'adua regime, they (EFCC) want prosecute el rufai that kept Abuja clean that all of them enjoy today. yet the likes of ibori, odili, and all the other ex-governors walk free. let them keep telling the whole world that corruption in Nigeria is here to stay.
fela pomona, USA September 17, 2009
What does he need that stupid passport for. a passport that is belittled and disrespectd in any other country is no passport, El rufai damn that stupid passport.
damn the so called president, damn the atty gen Andoakaa, damn the stupid non progressive congress, damn the so called law makers, damn everthing the ruling party pdp stand for.....period
Kotoko Ottawa, Canada September 17, 2009
What an idiotic behaviour? Who is really in-charge Nigeria and how do they make "very dunb
decissions?" First, they knew his case while still in Nigeria and refused to deal with it and allowed him out of Nigeria.
Now they have created an illussion and refurbished him as an innocent by denying him Passport
and making him a stateless man. Even his enemies would now sympathise with him and consider the Nigerian government the evil and forgive El rufai.
Yar'Adua, your rule of the law is packed full of shit. Clean up Yar'Adua.
