The African Democratic Congress has described former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, as a “political prisoner” of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, alleging that his continued detention is politically motivated.
In a statement posted on Monday on the social media pages of the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC expressed concern over El-Rufai’s health condition and his continued detention despite being granted bail by a Federal High Court in Abuja.
The party cited reports from the former governor’s family alleging denial of medical access, restriction of food delivery and disregard for a court order granting him access to his doctors.
According to the ADC, the allegations, if true, amount to a violation of El-Rufai’s constitutional rights and dignity.
“What is happening to Mallam El-Rufai confirms beyond all doubt that this detention is no longer about justice, it is about politics,” the statement read.
“It also confirms our fears that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is deploying the instruments of state power to keep one of the leading opposition figures out of circulation. This is political persecution dressed up as prosecution.”
The opposition party compared El-Rufai’s case with those of former Kogi State governor, Yahaya Bello, and former Delta State governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, who are facing separate corruption allegations.
According to the ADC, while Bello and Okowa have been allowed freedom despite ongoing investigations and court cases, El-Rufai has remained in detention.
The party further alleged that the federal government had deliberately contrived to keep the former governor in custody after he voluntarily submitted himself for investigation in February.
“We state clearly: Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is President Bola Tinubu’s political prisoner. This alone brings the President’s democratic credentials into disrepute,” the statement added.
The ADC also warned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other security agencies that they would be held responsible for any deterioration in El-Rufai’s health.
The party said it had activated lawful mechanisms locally and internationally to secure the release of the former governor.
The statement comes hours after Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted El-Rufai bail in the sum of N100 million.
The court ordered the former governor to provide one surety in like sum who must reside in either Maitama or Asokoro areas of Abuja and submit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property to the court registry.
Justice Abdulmalik also directed El-Rufai to surrender all valid international passports and report to the headquarters of the Department of State Services (DSS) every last Friday of the month pending the determination of the case.
The judge warned that failure to comply with any of the bail conditions would lead to an automatic revocation of the bail.
