ADC Alleges El-Rufai Denied Medical Care, Accuses Tinubu Government of Political Persecution
The opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) has alleged that former Kaduna state governor, Nasir El-Rufai was denied access to medical treatment by officials of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), describing the development as evidence that Nigeria is “sliding into tyranny” under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party claimed that El-Rufai was taken to the National Hospital in Abuja for medical attention but was allegedly prevented from receiving the treatment recommended by doctors.
According to the ADC, hospital officials reportedly advised that El-Rufai should be admitted due to his deteriorating health. However, the party alleged that ICPC officials insisted on returning him to custody.
The statement further claimed that El-Rufai’s personal physician was arrested while his wife was allegedly assaulted during a confrontation that followed protests against the decision to return him to detention.
The ADC accused the Tinubu administration of using anti-corruption agencies as instruments of political persecution, arguing that the treatment of El-Rufai had gone beyond legitimate law enforcement and amounted to an attack on constitutional rights, human dignity and the rule of law.
“The world should know today that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is holding a political prisoner in Nigeria by the name of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai,” the party stated.
The opposition party questioned the legal basis for restricting El-Rufai’s access to his family and personal doctor, despite what it described as existing court orders granting him unrestricted access to his lawyers, physician and relatives.
The ADC demanded immediate and unrestricted access for El-Rufai to his family, legal team and personal medical practitioners, a review of his bail conditions, an end to what it described as degrading detention conditions, full compliance with constitutional guarantees, transparency from the ICPC over the restrictions imposed on him, and an end to the alleged use of state institutions for political intimidation.
The party warned that the case was not only about El-Rufai but also about the future of constitutional democracy and the protection of fundamental rights in Nigeria.
As of the time of filing this report, the ICPC had not publicly responded to the allegations contained in the ADC statement.
