A lecturer with Kaduna State University, Dr John Danfulani, has lambasted Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, for allegedly attempting to gag his critics.
Danfulani, who was recently granted bail after being arrested by the Police over inciting comments, reminded the Governor that heaven did not fall when he made several incting comments during the past PDP-government, led by Goodluck Jonathan.
In a letter obtained by DAILY POST on Thursday, Danfulani said El-Rufai said everything and acted the way he wanted while in opposition.
“It’s your turn to hear and see many things from the opposition. Why are you trying to deny others the roller coaster you had while in opposition?” he quipped.
Full text of the letter below:
“Mr. Nasir Ahmed El-Rufai Governor Kaduna State Sir Kashim Ibrahim House Kaduna
Dear Governor,
NEITHER YOUR WAY NOR HIGHWAY
1. On 24th January 2016 a communique that trailed Kaduna State weekly security meeting indicated your government’s readiness to square off with people spewing hate speech and allied matters capable of hatching brouhaha and acrimony between and amongst the inhabitants of the state. Your government didn’t only threatened arrest but undertook to prosecute perpetrators of such acts. There is no denying the fact that, the state security conclave you headed ,has authority to mill such a riot act.
2. Most of us are living witnesses and can testify the destructive consequences of hate speeches in countries like Rwanda and Burundi. We have also walked through literatures that linked the genesis of NAZIS holocaust with hate speeches reeled out by Aryan puritans building up to the Second World War. Both the European and African experiences replayed a Hobbesian State of Nature scenario. Sequel to that, your attempt looks like a move to nip in the bud events and issues with potentialities of causing apocalyptic magnitude calamities
3. Sir, your history before and after 29th May 2015 denied you the credibility of being a crusader against hate speech. And casted doubt in the heart of many people of Kaduna State- especially, yours sincerely on the honesty of this mission of making people oozing hate speech face the full wrath of the law. From the same historical lane, on 27th January 2013, you retweeted a post like this; ” if Jesus criticizes Jonathan’s govt,Maku/Abati/Okupe will say he slept with Mary Magdaline..”. Again, you uploaded this on one of your wall; “we will write this for all to read,Anyone, soldier or not that kills the Fulani takes a loan repayable one day no matter how long it takes”. Are these love or hate uploads from a new anti hate speech crusader and his team members?
4. History aside, another contentious angle to the whole matter is: who is saddle with the onerous task of defining what a hate speech is. The conclave called Kaduna State security counsel or the all knowing genius presiding over the conclave? Despite avalanche of legal experts in United Nations and its affiliates, there is no straightjacketed definition of hate speech. More to this, is the fear of caging freedom of speech in the name of gagging hate speech by overzealous mandate holders whose ears pains and eyes run water when criticized. With these multiple controversies trailing what constitutes hate speech and fear of the possibility of infringing on rights of people under the guise of fighting hate speech,it is not safe for me to accept your mission, especially after your famous order to critics who don’t accepts your definition of truth to climb Kufena Hill and jump down.
5. Furthermore, I see the security council’s resolution as a threat to freedom of speech and liberties contained in our 1999 constitution and other global, regional, and sub-regional protocols on peoples’ rights.The upsurge in people drawing from the collective well of rights is behind the controversial resolution that its sole mission is to padlock peoples’ mouths. The quest to combat hate speech is only a conduit pipe the government wants to use to scrap freedom of speech and liberty of the people of Kaduna State.
6. Living democrats in Kaduna state and beyond will not stand hands at akimbo and permit this trickish back door attempt by your government to steal their rights. While in opposition, you poured your mind in excess, and you were never harassed using means like hate speech and the rest. In fact, your statements in three(3) hereinbefore were blasphemous and denigrative to Christianity. Were you arrested or charged for hate speech? Was Nigeria a lawless country then or what do think? Do you think the statement you retweeted wasn’t satanic enough to cause a nation-wide riot by Christians? Come on, we were all on this planet earth when you let loosed your beast of criticism.
7. What goes around comes around and a man reaps what he sows. Others tolerated your excesses, but so far, it’s clear that you lack the courage and temerity to tolerate others the way you were tolerated. You said everything and acted the way you wanted while in opposition. It’s your turn to hear and see many things from the oppositions. Why are you trying to deny others the roller coaster you had while in opposition? Those opposing your policies and actions are not asking for any privilege from you, it is a right guaranteed by the 1999 constitution.
8. Surely, it will neither be your way nor highway in Kaduna State because we know our rights and we aren’t in feudalism or some autocratic political system. Be informed,that many of us are battle ready to resist this with every tool and means permitted by the constitution.
9. Thank you.
Dr. John Danfulani 11/2/2016 Jondanfulani@yahoo.com Johndanfulani@gmail.com Awon Village Kachia LGA Kaduna State
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