‘Jump and die’ statement: El Rufai is irresponsible – Senator Sani

Senator representing Kaduna Central senatorial district, Senator Shehu Sani has lambasted Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai over his reported statement that those aggrieved over his appointments should climb the Kufena mountain, jump and fall.

Sani described the comment as irresponsible and uncalled for.

El Rufai had recently during a town hall meeting with stakeholders from Kaduna Central stated that whoever was not okay with the appointments he made at all levels could go and climb the Kufena mountain, jump and fall.

Speaking when he received a youth group from Southern Kaduna zone of the state, led by their chairman, Friday Jangado, Senator Shehu Sani said calling on electorates who voted them into power to climb such a hill, fall and die was reckless.

According to him, “But in a serious sense, it is an irresponsible statement to have called on people who voted us into power to climb such a hill, fall and to die. My advice to all the opposition forces in Kaduna State, is that we should turn Kufena hills into our meeting place to demand for good governance, accountability and government without arrogance.

“The positive aspect of the governor’s proclamation on the Kufena mountain is that he has put it on a national discourse and it has become a tourist attraction for people who want to see where opposition supposed to go climb, fall and die,” he said.

On the alleged marginalisation of the people of Southern Kaduna, he said, “the future of Southern Kaduna cannot be realised due to greed and sycophancy of their elites. The younger ‎generation of Southern Kaduna must continue to mount pressure on the state government and continue to irritate the ears of the federal government at the national level on development of the region.

“What happened in the past is likely to happen under this government, so the people of Southern Kaduna must continue to challenge the government of the state to demand equal opportunity and equal representation and you must neither allow yourself to continue to play the second fiddle nor should you rest on bronze medal, you must be respected and the only way to get your respect is to continue to challenge the establishment and political order in the state.‎”