Counsel to Nasir el-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has called on the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to end what he described as a smear campaign against his client and either release him immediately or arraign him before a competent court.

This was as the 2023 presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, called on the Federal Government to end the persecution of political opponents under the guise of criminal prosecution.

In a statement, yesterday, el-Rufai’s lawyer, Ubong Akpan, accused the anti-graft agency of circulating unverified media reports alleging that el-Rufai owned multi-billion naira properties in Egypt.

Akpan described the reports as “baseless leaks” allegedly designed to justify the continued detention of the former governor, which he said had exceeded 20 days without formal charges.

According to him, the allegations lack verifiable evidence and rely on anonymous sources, insisting that the claims are part of a politically motivated campaign rather than a legitimate investigation.

The lawyer said el-Rufai had initially reported voluntarily to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) on February 16, 2026, and was granted administrative bail before he was later taken into custody by operatives allegedly acting under the authority of the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS) on February 18.

Akpan maintained that the continued detention violates provisions of the 1999 Constitution, which requires suspects to be brought before a court within a reasonable time.

He also questioned the validity of a 14-day remand order reportedly issued by a magistrate’s court on February 19, arguing that the court lacked jurisdiction over the alleged offences and that the order had expired on March 4.

“The continued confinement of my client without due process is illegal,” the lawyer stated.

Akpan further alleged that officials acting under the authority of ICPC Chairman, Musa Aliyu, had attempted to pressure el-Rufai to abandon his political activities, warning that he could face prolonged detention if he failed to comply.

He said el-Rufai had repeatedly challenged the anti-corruption agency to file charges against him in court if there was any credible evidence.

ALSO, in a statement yesterday, Obi warned that the rule of law in Nigeria must remain sacrosanct, stressing that weakening legal institutions would undermine economic progress and threaten the country’s stability.

He expressed concern over the recent arrests and continued detention of two leaders of the African Democracy Congress (ADC) – former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, and el-Rufai.

According to him, the timing of their arrests, which followed their political commitment to ensure the current administration is voted out in 2027, raises serious concerns.

Obi said the circumstances surrounding their arrests appear inconsistent with the principles of the rule of law, noting that prosecutorial decisions should be based strictly on credible evidence and probable cause, presented transparently and without political motives.

He added that the refusal to grant bail or the imposition of excessive bail conditions suggested that criminal prosecution might be used as a tool against political opponents.

Highlighting el-Rufai’s case, the former governor of Anambra State described the situation as particularly troubling. He said his former colleague’s repeated movement between the EFCC, ICPC and DSS indicated what appears to be an attempt to find any charge that could be sustained, warning that such actions risk turning investigations into a fishing expedition rather than a legitimate legal process. (NAN)

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