Presumption Of Innocence Qualifies El-Rufai To Be In Atiku’s Campaign Team

Some lawyers have played the inclusion of former Kaduna state governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, in the campaign council of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.

According to them, every Nigerian that is accused of one crime of the other is presumed innocent until a competent court of law finds him guilty.

They argued that Section 35 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended sees every Nigerian as innocent until he is pronounced guilty by a court of law.

Mr Abdul Balogin, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, SAN, said it is within the rights of the former Vice President to choose wowver he deems fit into his campaign council

According to him, an accused person is legally presumed innocent until the prosecution proves their guilt beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

In the case of El-Rufai, he is still innocent until the law says so.

According to him, even, the former Vice President cannot be held liable for conspiracy for appointing a suspect on trial into his campaign team.

“The former Vice President is free to appoint whoever he deems fit into his campaign team. He cannot be held liable for any criminal conspiracy.

“Every Nigerian is presumed innocent until the court says otherwise,  so, you can’t deprive him of his rights to associate freely”, he said

A professor of law, Ajida Bello, agreed with the senior advocate, adding that even, if he were to be demanded in prison, he can still be appointed.

He said, “As long as he hasn’t been convicted, he can be appointed, even, if he is convicted and any of the candidate is comfortable working with him, he can be appointed, so, absolutely nothing is wrong with his appointment.