Former Vice President, Atiku Abubakar has urged President Bola Tinubu and the Kaduna State Government, Uba Sani to immediately release former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, describing his continued detention as unlawful and politically motivated.
Atiku, in a statement issued through his Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, condemned the detention, warning that it amounted to an abuse of state power and a violation of democratic principles.
He argued that holding the former governor at a sensitive period when Muslims across the country are preparing for the Eid al-Kabir celebration was “cruel, unjustifiable and deeply troubling,” insisting that no citizen should be deprived of liberty without due process.
The former vice president expressed concern over what he described as the use of security and state institutions to intimidate political opponents, adding that such actions undermine public trust in governance and the rule of law.
According to him, El-Rufai, regardless of political differences, remains entitled to constitutional protections, including the right to dignity, liberty, and fair hearing.
“Democracy does not grant the government the licence to punish dissent, settle political scores, or deploy coercive institutions as instruments of intimidation.
“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.
“If Mallam El-Rufai is being held on the basis of any legitimate legal process, the authorities owe Nigerians full transparency. If not, then his continued detention can only reinforce growing fears that our democracy is sliding dangerously toward intolerance and authoritarian excess,” he said.
He appealed for El-Rufai’s immediate release, urging both federal and state authorities to prioritise justice, peace, and national cohesion over political considerations, especially during a period he described as one of reflection, mercy, and reconciliation.
“There is absolutely no justification for keeping a man away from his family during such a solemn and spiritually significant occasion, especially where due process has not been clearly demonstrated.
“Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar therefore calls for the immediate release of Mallam El-Rufai and urges all relevant authorities to rise above political bitterness and act in the interest of justice, peace, and national cohesion,” the statement added.
