El-Rufai is being persecuted because he joined ADC - Okonkwo
ADC Leader Claims El-Rufai’s Detention Is Politically Motivated
Kenneth Okonkwo, a prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused the government of politically motivated actions in the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai. He linked El-Rufai’s predicament directly to his affiliation with the opposition party.
During a segment on Channels Television’s “Morning Brief” on Friday, Okonkwo characterized El-Rufai’s detention as a violation of his constitutional rights. He stated, “He is being maltreated, he is being persecuted because he has joined ADC,” and placed blame for El-Rufai’s situation on President Bola Tinubu.
Okonkwo expressed concern over the use of anti-corruption agencies in what he described as a misuse of presidential authority. “For now, he is using his authority as the commander-in-chief to use the instrumentality of the anti-corruption agencies in courts,” he remarked, questioning the effectiveness of corruption-fighting commissions under Tinubu’s administration.
The ADC leader emphasized that El-Rufai’s prolonged detention without formal charges contradicts constitutional provisions regarding fundamental human rights. He asserted that security agencies do not have the legal authority to indefinitely detain individuals under the guise of ongoing investigations. “That is illegal, and any such order is unconstitutional,” he said. He called for El-Rufai to be brought to trial and granted bail, underlining that ADC members respect the rule of law.
Okonkwo further argued that arrests should only take place after investigations are concluded. “The whole idea of arrest is that you have completed your investigation and found the person culpable for the crime you alleged he committed,” he stated, noting that the prosecution bears the burden of proving guilt.
El-Rufai has been held by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since February 19, following his release from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC). A magistrate’s court in Bwari, FCT, recently granted the ICPC a new 14-day detention order as investigations into allegations of money laundering and abuse of office proceed. El-Rufai’s family has publicly criticized the ongoing detention.
