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

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

According to them, every Nigerian accused of one crime or 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 whoever he deems fit in 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”.

Constitutional lawyer, Barrister Ume Ukpo, said it is within the rights of Atiku to appoint El-Rufuai.

He said nothing stops El-Rufai from working for Atiku, even from detention.

“Whether you like it or not, El-Rufai has his supporters, which he still controls from detention, so, you cannot take away that fact from him. Some persons still listen to him, even, from detention, so, his appointment is appropriate”, he said.