The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has alleged that the Federal Government is deliberately keeping former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, in detention to weaken the opposition ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Speaking during an interview on Channels Television on Thursday, the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, claimed the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) had no intention of releasing El-Rufai before the elections.
Abdullahi maintained that while the ADC supports the prosecution of anyone with a legitimate case to answer, it opposed what it described as the prolonged detention of individuals over bailable offences.
According to him, repeatedly arraigning El-Rufai while imposing stringent bail conditions creates the impression that authorities are deliberately seeking legal means to keep him in custody indefinitely.
“The thinking within the ADC is that the APC government has already decided that Malam Nasir El-Rufai will not be released until after the elections. That is what we believe,” Abdullahi said.
He further alleged that the government fears El-Rufai’s influence within the opposition and believes his release would strengthen opposition forces ahead of the 2027 polls.
“They know that once Malam Nasir El-Rufai is free, the opposition becomes stronger. That is why we believe they are doing everything possible to ensure he remains in custody until after the elections,” he added.
Abdullahi also expressed concern over El-Rufai’s health, citing reports from his family that he was recently taken to the National Hospital, where doctors allegedly recommended close medical observation due to his deteriorating condition.
He warned that President Bola Tinubu would be held accountable if anything happened to the former governor while in detention.
According to him, both the ADC and former Vice President Atiku Abubakar have maintained that El-Rufai should be allowed access to appropriate medical care.
Abdullahi further alleged that the legal actions against the opposition were part of a broader strategy to limit political competition and deny Nigerians meaningful choices in the 2027 general election.
The Federal Government has not publicly responded to the ADC’s allegations.
