ABUJA, May 14, 2026 — The African Democratic Congress has described former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai as a political prisoner of President Bola Tinubu. The party’s National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi made the claim on Thursday amid growing concern over El-Rufai’s legal situation.
El-Rufai, who once served as a minister under former President Olusegun Obasanjo and later as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023, has been embroiled in several legal battles since leaving office. He has faced multiple allegations involving governance and finance during his time as governor.
Abdullahi said the charges against El-Rufai are politically motivated and represent an attempt by the ruling APC government to silence a critic. “What is being done to El-Rufai is persecution, not prosecution. He is a political prisoner, plain and simple,” Abdullahi said at a press briefing.
El-Rufai was a founding member of the APC but fell out with the party’s leadership and eventually aligned with opposition forces. He has been vocal in criticizing President Tinubu’s administration on multiple occasions.
The federal government and the APC have not formally responded to the ADC’s characterization. Officials have previously maintained that all legal actions taken against any individual are based on evidence and follow due process.
Human rights organizations have in recent months expressed concern about the use of the legal system in Nigeria to target political opponents. Several opposition figures across different parties have raised similar concerns.
El-Rufai himself has denied wrongdoing and has described the charges against him as an attempt to destroy his reputation. His legal team has challenged the allegations in court and filed several applications seeking to dismiss the cases.
The ADC is using El-Rufai’s situation to draw a contrast between what it calls authoritarian governance under the APC and the democratic values it says it represents. The party is positioning itself as a credible opposition force ahead of 2027.
Political observers say the treatment of opposition figures will likely remain a major campaign issue in the build-up to the 2027 general elections.
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