Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on federal authorities under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately release the embattled former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.
Atiku’s spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, said in a statement that El-Rufai’s continued detention, especially at a time when Muslims all over Nigeria are preparing for the holy Eid al-Kabir celebrations, was cruel, unjustifiable and deeply troubling.
He described the development as a disturbing assault on civil liberties, democratic decency and the rule of law and expressed serious concern at the use of state power to intimidate perceived political opponents.
According to him, El-Rufai’s ordeal in the history of Tinubu’s government is deeply troubling, politically provocative and totally inconsistent with the tenets of justice, democracy and basic human decency.
“At a time when millions of Muslims across Nigeria and the world are preparing to celebrate Eid Kabir, a sacred season of sacrifice, compassion, forgiveness and family reunion, it would be unconscionable for any government to weaponise state power in a manner that denies a citizen his liberty without just cause, particularly in circumstances that raise legitimate concerns about political persecution.
“Mallam El-Rufai is a Nigerian citizen and is entitled to all the protections of the Constitution, including his rights to dignity, liberty and due process, regardless of any political differences or changing alliances.”
“The Federal Government and the Kaduna State authorities must learn to accept that selective justice is injustice. “The test of any democracy is not how it treats its friends, but how it treats its enemies,” he said.
Recall that El-Rufai was being held by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
He applied for bail at arraignment but the ICPC opposed his application in court.
