ABUJA, NIGERIA — Former presidential candidate and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Peter Obi, has slammed the administration of President Bola Tinubu over the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai and ex-Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami, accusing the government of deploying criminal prosecution as a political weapon against opposition figures.
In a statement posted on his verified X handle on Monday, Obi described the arrests and continued detention of the two key leaders as “worrisome,” noting that the timing of their detention — coming as both men committed to ensuring the current administration is voted out in 2027 — raised serious and troubling questions about the motivations behind their prosecution.
“The current administration must put an end to the blatant persecution of political opponents disguised as criminal prosecution. The integrity of the rule of law in Nigeria is non-negotiable; its degradation undermines our economic development and threatens national stability,” Obi stated.
The former Anambra governor also challenged the conditions under which the two leaders had been held, arguing that the denial of bail or the imposition of unjustly stringent bail conditions amounted to further evidence of political persecution.
Obi reserved his sharpest criticism for the handling of El-Rufai’s case specifically, describing the former governor’s repeated transfers between the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and the Department of State Services (DSS) as a desperate and legally dubious exercise.
“The situation surrounding Malam El-Rufai is particularly concerning; his repeated transfers between the EFCC, ICPC, and DSS suggest a desperate search for any charge that might stick, straying dangerously close to a fishing expedition rather than a credible investigation,” he said.
While reaffirming his personal commitment to the fight against corruption, Obi insisted that any credible anti-corruption campaign must be conducted with integrity, transparency, and consistency — beginning with those currently in power rather than targeting political opponents.
“I wholeheartedly support the fight against corruption and wrongdoing, but it must be conducted with integrity and transparency, starting with those currently in power rather than targeting opponents. A credible anti-corruption and anti-wrongdoing campaign cannot afford to be selective,” Obi concluded.
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