Foemwer President, Atiku Abubakar made the call on Tuesday, in a post on X, expressing concern which he said was shared by family members, friends and associates over the former governor’s health and welfare status.
“The health and welfare of @elrufai is a matter of grave concern to his family, friends, and associates. The Federal Government owes Nigerians clarity,” Mr Abubakar stated.
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“It must state clearly which agency is holding him, whether the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), the State Security Service (SSS), or any other arm of the security establishment,” the former vice president stated.
Mr Atiku said that security agencies must ensure the respect of Mr El-Rufai’s rights to safety, dignity, access to medical care, legal representation and family members.
“Secrecy in matters of detention only fuels suspicion. Nigerians deserve transparency. Whichever agency is responsible has a constitutional duty to guarantee his safety, dignity, access to medical care, and access to his family and legal representatives,” Mr Abubakar said.
Expressing concern over a report that the former governor suffered a nosebleed and denied access to family members, the former vice president described the development as “deeply troubling and unacceptable in a democracy.”
Promising to hold President Bola Tinubu’s administration accountable for the former governor’s safety, Mr Abubakar urged security authorities to immediately grant Mr El-Rufai bail, if his fundamental rights and health can no longer be guaranteed.
“If the authorities cannot guarantee his health and fundamental rights, the lawful and humane course of action is to grant him bail without delay. If anything happens to El-Rufai, this government will be held accountable,” the politician stated.
Warning against turning anti-corruption efforts to a political weapon, the former Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate faulted what he described as the aggressive and selective prosecution of opposition figures, as opposed to the soft approach on others.
Claiming that Mr El-Rufai’s prosecution was “partisan, coercive and strategically timed,” Mr Abubakar noted that the former Kaduna State governor’s continued detention under unclear terms raised suspicion about its real intent.
“Anti-corruption cannot be credible when it appears partisan, coercive, or strategically timed. Justice must be transparent. Accountability must be even-handed. And the rule of law must apply to all; without fear, without favour, and without political bias,” the politician noted.