A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Kenneth Okonkwo, has alleged that the continued detention of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El Rufai is politically motivated and connected to his association with the opposition party.
Okonkwo, who is also a lawyer, made the claim during an appearance on the programme Morning Brief on Channels Television on Friday. During the interview, he criticised the detention of the former governor and described it as a violation of constitutional rights.
According to Okonkwo, El Rufai is being unfairly treated and persecuted because of his involvement with the African Democratic Congress. He argued that the development reflects political pressure being applied through state institutions.
The ADC chieftain also placed responsibility for the situation on the administration of Bola Tinubu, stating that the powers of the presidency are allegedly being used to influence anti corruption investigations and legal processes.
He questioned the commitment of authorities to the fight against corruption, suggesting that the actions taken against El Rufai raise concerns about whether anti corruption agencies are operating independently.
Okonkwo stressed that holding a suspect in custody without formal charges contradicts the provisions of the Nigerian constitution on fundamental human rights. According to him, security agencies do not have the authority to detain individuals indefinitely while claiming that investigations are still ongoing.
He insisted that if El Rufai committed any offence, the appropriate step would be to charge him in court and allow the legal process to take its course.
Okonkwo explained that suspects should be granted bail while awaiting trial, emphasising that the rule of law requires the prosecution to prove guilt in court rather than forcing suspects to prove their innocence while in detention.
He further argued that arrests should only occur after investigations have been completed and sufficient evidence has been gathered to support criminal charges.
According to him, the responsibility of law enforcement agencies is to conduct proper investigations first and then present their findings before the court for prosecution.
El Rufai has been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission since February 19. He was earlier released by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before being taken into custody again by the anti corruption agency.
On Wednesday, a magistrate court in Bwari within the Federal Capital Territory granted the commission a fresh 14 day detention order to continue its investigation into allegations of money laundering and abuse of office.
However, members of El Rufai’s family have criticised the decision, arguing that the prolonged detention is unfair and calling for his release or immediate arraignment in court.
The situation has continued to generate debate among political observers and legal experts over the balance between anti corruption investigations and the protection of constitutional rights.
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