The African Democratic Congress (ADC) on Monday, 18 May, called Nasir El-Rufai a political prisoner, as it accused President Bola Tinubu of keeping him in detention for political reasons.
The party said El-Rufai’s continued detention, despite a court order and concerns about his health, shows that his case has moved beyond legal prosecution into political persecution.
The party made the allegation in a statement issued on Monday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, as concerns develop over El-Rufai’s health and access to medical care while in custody.
In the statement, the ADC said it received reports from El-Rufai’s family which alleged that he had been denied access to his doctors, prevented from receiving food deliveries, and kept in detention despite a court order that granted him medical access.
The party said the reports, if confirmed, raise serious concerns about his health, dignity, and constitutional rights.
This development has strengthened the party’s belief that El-Rufai’s detention is politically motivated rather than driven by the pursuit of justice.
The party said, “What is happening to Mallam El-Rufai confirms beyond all doubt that this detention is no longer about justice, it is about politics. It also confirms our fears that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is deploying the instruments of state power to keep one of the leading opposition figures out of circulation.”
The ADC said El-Rufai first submitted himself voluntarily for investigation in February and remained in custody for several weeks before he was formally arraigned. It added that he was granted bail in April but has remained in detention despite that ruling.
The party said that the continued detention raises questions about respect for judicial decisions and the rule of law in the country.
It said, “We state clearly: Mallam Nasir El-Rufai is President Bola Tinubu’s political prisoner.”
The party also compared El-Rufai’s case with those of other former public officials facing corruption allegations, saying some of them currently enjoy their freedom while El-Rufai remains behind bars.
The ADC maintained that such differences in treatment create the impression of selective justice and political interference in anti-corruption processes.
The party further accused the Federal Government of using state institutions to weaken opposition voices and suppress political competition.
It said, “President Tinubu cannot continue to masquerade as a democrat while presiding over the weaponisation of security and anti-corruption agencies against political opponents. Nigeria is not under a dictatorship.”
The ADC warned that President Tinubu, the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and other security agencies would be held accountable for any worsening of El-Rufai’s health or any further violation of his rights.
The party also announced that it has activated legal and diplomatic measures at local, national, continental, and international levels to secure El-Rufai’s release, insisting that he has become a political prisoner in Nigeria.