ADC Condemns Alleged Persecution of El-Rufai and Allies
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Federal Government of using state security apparatus to launch a “troubling pattern of abuse” against former Kaduna Governor Nasir el-Rufai. At a press conference in Kaduna on Tuesday, party leaders claimed the government is orchestrating a campaign of harassment to dismantle opposition influence. This alarm follows a series of high-profile legal actions and detentions that have kept el-Rufai in custody for several weeks. The party warned that these tactics erode public trust and threaten the stability of Nigerian democracy.
Recent events suggest the former governor is caught in a pincer movement involving multiple federal agencies. The Department of State Services (DSS) has filed cybercrime charges against him for allegedly wiretapping the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. Simultaneously, the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) is pursuing allegations of financial misconduct and abuse of office. El-Rufai has been in custody since mid-February, with a Federal High Court in Kaduna recently adjourning his bail ruling until April 14.
The ADC argues that the charges lack “credible evidence” and are purely political in nature. Professor Sani Bello, an ADC chieftain, highlighted the arrest and detention of several el-Rufai associates as proof of a wider crackdown. Figures such as Bashir Saidu, Ja’afar Ibrahim Sani, and Jimi Lawal have reportedly been targeted in what the party describes as selective enforcement. This campaign allegedly began with el-Rufai’s exclusion from a ministerial post and has since morphed into a state-led offensive.
The timing of these legal battles coincides with internal friction within the ADC and a dispute with the electoral commission over party leadership. These domestic political squabbles are playing out against a backdrop of severe economic hardship and national insecurity. Critics suggest that the focus on opposition figures serves as a distraction from the government’s failure to address rising unemployment and inflation. The ADC has called on the international community and civil society to intervene before the democratic space shrinks further.
Public perception of the anti-corruption agencies is at stake as these cases move through the courts. The ICPC and EFCC face accusations of being tools for settling political scores rather than impartial arbiters of justice. El-Rufai’s brief release on “compassionate grounds” following his mother’s death in late March has already sparked a debate on the legality of administrative bail. Such inconsistencies in the application of the law provide more ammunition for those who claim the process is being manipulated.
The outcome of the April 14 bail hearing will be a litmus test for the independence of the Kaduna judiciary. If the court denies bail, the narrative of state persecution will likely intensify, further polarizing the political landscape in northern Nigeria. For now, the “Iron Man” of Kaduna remains behind bars, a casualty—his supporters say—of his own political stature. The government has yet to offer a formal rebuttal to the ADC’s specific claims of institutional weaponisation.