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Updated: Atiku meets El-Rufai after alleged failed arrest attempt at airport
Atiku shared the visit on X, describing the incident as “a failed partisan attempt” by the DSS and EFCC to embarrass El-Rufai.
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar paid a solidarity visit on Thursday night to his political ally and former Kaduna State Governor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, following what was described as an attempted arrest by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja earlier in the day.
Sharing photos and videos of the visit on X on Friday morning, Atiku condemned the incident, calling it “a failed partisan attempt” by the DSS and EFCC to embarrass the former governor.
“Last night, I paid a solidarity visit to the former Governor of Kaduna State and stalwart of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, following the failed attempt by the partisan ICPC to arrest him at the airport upon his arrival,” Atiku wrote.
Accompanied by some of his political associates and aides, the former Vice President described the attempted arrest as a violation of democratic norms, stressing that in a rule-of-law society, there was no need to try and detain a citizen at the airport. “They could allow you to get to your house and then invite you,” Atiku said.
He further called the incident “an embarrassment to the entire political class” and urged Nigerians to be concerned regardless of party affiliation. “We condemn it in totality and we’ll stand by you and protect your interests and the interests of every law-abiding Nigerian,” he added.
The 2023 PDP presidential candidate warned that anti-democratic elements, previously accused of undermining the PDP, were allegedly planning to destabilise the ADC using the judiciary. “We must be alert and stand up against those plans to undermine the opposition. This is very credible information,” he said.
In response, El-Rufai expressed gratitude to Atiku for the gesture, noting it was the second time in six months the former Vice President had visited him after “inciting incidents.” He described the airport episode as “most unfortunate, totally unnecessary, and probably criminal as well.”
El-Rufai alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) had “procured” the DSS to abduct him, despite him never receiving any formal invitation from the anti-graft agency. “The EFCC wrote me a letter of invitation, and my lawyer responded that I was abroad and would honour it upon return. But ICPC, I never heard anything from them,” he explained.
He stressed that, as a law-abiding citizen, he would have complied with a proper invitation, emphasising that government agencies must respect due process.
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