Paul Ibe, media aide to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has again drawn attention to the ordeal of former Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, noting that the African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain has now spent 178 days in detention.
In an X post on Thursday, Ibe asserted that el-Rufai has faced political persecution for daring to part ways with President Bola Tinubu, whom he supported in the 2023 polls.
He further alleged double standards in the handling of political cases, citing embattled Senator Francis Fadahunsi, whom he said is “walking freely and yet-to-be arrested after calling on members of his own party to kill members of the Accord.”
He noted that several chieftains of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) facing allegations of corruption similar to El-Rufai’s were currently walking free and posted photos of ex-governors Yahaya Bello and Ifeanyi Okowa.
“Even as el-Rufai is being detained, high profile members of Tinubu’s APC, who are standing trial for corruption were cleared and are running for election.
“What other evidence do you need to confirm that Tinubu is waging a war against the OPPOSITION and not CORRUPTION,” he added.
This is not the first time Ibe has spoken on the duration of el-Rufai’s detention.
On July 9, he said the former governor had spent 144 days in custody and described it as “political persecution under the guise of a sham legal trial”.
Earlier, he put the figure at 126 days, alleging that the Tinubu-led APC administration was “harassing and intimidating el-Rufai for having parted ways with the APC”.
Ibe had also alleged that “Tinubu is allegedly focused on keeping him until after the 2027 elections” and described the bail conditions granted to el-Rufai as “too punitive and meant to keep him perpetually in detention”.
El-Rufai faces separate criminal trials brought by the Federal Government.
He is being prosecuted by the Department of State Services (DSS) in Abuja for alleged phone wiretapping and cybercrimes, and by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over multi-billion naira financial fraud and money laundering charges.
He has been in detention since February 18.
(The Sun)