Phrank Shaibu, Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, has described former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai as a “political prisoner of conscience,” urging President Bola Tinubu to release him if he poses no threat to his 2027 re-election bid. The statement was made during an interview on Arise Television’s News Insight, where Shaibu criticized the conditions attached to El-Rufai’s bail and questioned the motives behind his continued detention.
El-Rufai was first arrested and detained by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) on February 18, 2026, following investigations into alleged fraud committed during his tenure as governor from 2015 to 2023. Since then, he has faced multiple arrests and remands by both the ICPC and the Department of State Services (DSS), with charges ranging from corruption and contract fraud to cybercrime and allegations of phone-tapping involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu.
On May 18, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted El-Rufai a N100 million bail in the case brought by the DSS. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik presided over the hearing, which centered on allegations that El-Rufai breached the NSA by publicly claiming he had wiretapped Ribadu’s phone. Despite the court’s decision, Shaibu argued that the bail conditions imposed were excessively harsh and unreasonable.
According to Shaibu, the conditions are “impossible” because they contradict the presumption of innocence, a fundamental principle of justice. He emphasized that a person should only be considered guilty after a fair trial, not before. “A man is presumed guilty after he has been tried,” Shaibu stated, adding that the current situation amounts to political suppression under the guise of legal proceedings.
Shaibu further challenged President Tinubu, saying if the administration truly believes El-Rufai does not pose a threat to its electoral prospects, then he should be released immediately. “Let him test his strength in the open, and let Nigerians decide at the ballot who has the capacity to earn their mandate,” he urged. He questioned why a political rival would be kept off the field if there is confidence in one’s own victory.
The controversy surrounding El-Rufai’s detention has sparked national debate about the rule of law, political freedom, and the use of security agencies in electoral politics. As Nigeria approaches the 2027 general elections, the case may influence public perception of fairness and transparency in the country’s democratic process.
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