The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the federal government of deliberately detaining former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai until after the 2027 general elections, labeling him a political prisoner held to neutralise opposition forces.
ADC Spokesperson Alleges Deliberate Detention
ADC spokesperson Bolaji Abdullahi made the allegation on Thursday, July 9, during an appearance on Channels Television's Politics Today programme. He charged that the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led administration is exploiting the legal process to keep el-Rufai out of the political space.
“The thinking within the ADC is that the APC government has concluded that they will not release Malam Nasir el-Rufai until after the elections. That is what we believe,” Abdullahi said.
He added: “They know that with Malam Nasir el-Rufai freed, the opposition is stronger, and they know that if they release him, he is going to remind them of certain things that they would rather forget. So that is why they want to hold him in perpetuity.”
Bail Conditions and Health Concerns
Abdullahi clarified that the ADC does not oppose criminal prosecution where warranted, but argued that the pattern of bail denials in el-Rufai's case points to deliberate judicial manipulation.
“When you are holding someone in custody for bailable offences, and you proceed to continue to arraign that person and continue to set conditions for bail that are almost impossible for this person to meet, it creates room for us to believe that you deliberately intend to hold this person in perpetuity,” he said.
The ADC spokesman also raised urgent concerns about the former governor's physical condition, saying family sources had informed the party that el-Rufai was taken to the National Hospital recently, where doctors advised that he remain under close medical observation due to his failing health.
Abdullahi warned President Bola Tinubu's administration that the opposition would hold it directly accountable should el-Rufai's condition worsen while he remains in custody.
“There is a political prisoner in Nigeria today, and his name is Malam Nasir el-Rufai,” he said.
El-Rufai's Ongoing Legal Cases
El-Rufai has been in custody since February. The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) is prosecuting him on separate criminal charges before both the Kaduna State High Court and the Federal High Court in Kaduna. Multiple bail applications filed at the Kaduna State High Court have been dismissed.
The Department of State Services (DSS) is also pursuing a separate case against the former governor before the Federal High Court in Abuja, based on allegations of wiretapping.
Family Appeals for Intervention
Previously, the family of former Kaduna state governor Nasir El-Rufai called on President Bola Tinubu to step in after they were unable to meet the bail conditions set by the court handling his case. El-Rufai's wife, Asiya, said the family had been unable to secure the required property attestation from the traditional council of Kaduna state, which was among the documents demanded to complete bail formalities.
