Security agents restrict Peter Obi, El-Rufai

Former minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, was restricted for about two hours by men of the State Security Service in Awka, the Anambra State capital.

El-Rufai was in Awka for the Anambra State governorship election.

He arrived on Friday but SSS officials held him for about two hours.

The former minister told SUNDAY PUNCH that he would give details of his ordeal with the SSS after the election.

He is currently moving around the state monitoring the election with other top officers of the All Progressives Congress.

Also, in spite of the immunity enjoyed by Gov. Peter Obi, being the Chief Security Officer of Anambra State,  he was prevented from moving freely around the state.

When journalists visited the Government Lodge, Obi was busy working on his files.

Asked why he was not moving around, he disclosed that security men asked him not to as a result of the restrictions of movement imposed on the state.

Obi who, however, left the Lodge at 11:50am for accreditation at his house in Agulu, had to do so with police clearance.

None of his security aides followed him as policemen on election duty escorted him to the place and back to the lodge.

Obi said he had no problem with the arrangement.

He said he would support any measure taken to guarantee free and fair election at all times.

He said he had no idea while the restriction should affect him as the chief security officer, but stated that it was part of the sacrifice for the sanctity of the electoral process.

Commenting on the restriction of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, Obi who confessed to hearing about that for the first time, wondered what he was in Anambra for.

The Anambra State governor said though the restriction affected everybody and should be understood as part of measures to ensure free and fair election, he wondered why some Nigerians enjoy putting up reckless behaviour that would only lead  to lawlessness and bring Nigeria to disrepute.

He said even if his party wanted to monitor, that they had capable people from the South-East that would do that.

Obi said that as an APGA chieftain,  he would not  go to Katsina to monitor election, except it were presidential election.

“If El-Rufai wanted to monitor election, he should apply properly through the Independent National Electoral Commission and get accredited and not putting up reckless behaviour that bring  bad name to the country,” Obi said.

Copyright PUNCH.*