The African Democratic Congress has accused the All Progressives Congress-led government of keeping former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in detention as part of a wider political calculation ahead of the 2027 general election.
The allegation was made by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, during an interview on Thursday, where he argued that the circumstances surrounding El-Rufai’s continued detention point to more than just a legal process.
Abdullahi said the ADC is not against the prosecution of any public official who has a genuine case to answer. However, he maintained that the manner in which El-Rufai’s case is being handled has raised serious concerns within the opposition, especially as the offences involved are said to be bailable.
According to him, the repeated arraignment of the former governor, coupled with bail conditions the ADC considers excessively difficult to meet, has reinforced the party’s belief that there is a deliberate attempt to keep him out of circulation for as long as possible.
He said the opposition has come to the conclusion that the ruling party may not be willing to allow El-Rufai regain his freedom before the next general election, insisting that this belief is based on what the ADC sees as a pattern in the handling of the matter.
Abdullahi further alleged that the APC sees El-Rufai as a major political force whose release could strengthen the opposition coalition and shift the balance ahead of the 2027 contest. In his view, that fear is what is driving the government’s posture in the case.
He also raised concern about the former governor’s health, citing information reportedly provided by members of El-Rufai’s family. Abdullahi said doctors at the National Hospital had advised that he remain under medical observation after his health condition worsened.
The ADC spokesman warned that the Federal Government would be held accountable if anything untoward happens to El-Rufai while in custody. He specifically placed responsibility on President Bola Tinubu, saying the ultimate burden of accountability rests with the President. Abdullahi went on to describe the former Kaduna governor as a political prisoner.
He also accused the ruling party of using state institutions and legal processes to weaken opposition voices, claiming that the APC appears more concerned about the 2027 election than the pressing issues facing the country.
Abdullahi said the emerging ADC coalition was formed out of the opposition’s resolve to present Nigerians with a credible alternative political platform. He also dismissed the Federal Government’s Renewed Hope Agenda as a mere slogan with little substance.
El-Rufai is currently facing charges of alleged financial misconduct brought by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission over actions linked to his time as governor of Kaduna State.
He is also standing trial at the Federal High Court in Abuja in a separate case filed by the Department of State Services over allegations of unlawful interception of telephone communications.
