Release El-Rufai before Sallah, Atiku tells Tinubu government

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has called on the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to immediately release former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, describing his continued detention as unjustifiable and politically troubling.

In a statement issued through his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, Atiku condemned El-Rufai’s detention, particularly as Muslims across the country prepare for the Eid al-Kabir celebrations.

According to him, the development raises serious concerns about civil liberties, democratic values, and the alleged use of state institutions against perceived political opponents.

“At a time when millions of Muslims across Nigeria and around 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,” the statement read.

Atiku said El-Rufai, regardless of political affiliations or disagreements, remains entitled to constitutional protections, including the rights to liberty, dignity, and due process.

“Mallam El-Rufai, regardless of political differences or shifting alliances, remains a Nigerian citizen entitled to the full protection of the Constitution,” he stated.

The former Vice President also warned against what he described as selective justice, insisting that democracy should protect both allies and opponents alike.

“The Federal Government and the Kaduna State authorities must understand that selective justice is injustice. The credibility of any democracy is measured not by how it treats loyalists, but by how it treats perceived opponents,” Atiku added.

El-Rufai is currently in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC) following legal proceedings in court.

Reports indicate that the former governor had applied for bail after his arraignment, but the anti-graft agency opposed the request.

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