Some leaders of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) were on Friday denied access to see a former Governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The leaders who visited the ICPC office were the ADC National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola; National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi; and Secretary of the ADC Manifesto and Policy Committee, Mallam Salihu Lukman.

The ADC spokesman revealed the development in a post on X, @BolajiADC, via his handle @Diplomat_01.

“ADC leaders were prevented from seeing Mallam Nasir @ElRufai at the ICPC.

“Those denied access include National Secretary @raufaregbesola, National Publicity Secretary @BolajiADC, and Salihu Lukman, Secretary of the party’s Manifesto and Policy Committee,” the post read.

On Monday, the ADC accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of using state institutions to silence opposition voices and described El-Rufai as a “political prisoner”.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, the party condemned the continued detention of Mallam El-Rufai, following reports that authorities denied him access to his doctors and prevented his wife from delivering food to him in custody.

The ADC argued that despite voluntarily submitting himself to authorities, El-Rufai has faced prolonged detention and repeated court appearances, unlike other high-profile corruption suspects such as Yahaya Bello and Ifeanyi Okowa.

The party warned that Tinubu should be held responsible for any deterioration in his condition.

The ADC said it has put in motion mechanisms, through every lawful means available locally, nationally, continentally and internationally, to secure the release of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, whom it described as a political prisoner in Nigeria.

The party said President Tinubu cannot continue to present himself as a democrat while presiding over the weaponisation of security and anti-corruption agencies against political opponents.

It would be recalled that on Monday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court in Abuja granted bail to the former governor in the sum of ₦100 million with one surety in like sum, imposing strict conditions to be met before bail could be perfected.

The court held that the proposed surety must reside in either the Maitama or Asokoro districts of Abuja and must deposit the original Certificate of Occupancy of a landed property at the court registry.

The surety Is also required to be a federal civil servant not below Grade Level 17 and must provide evidence of salary payments for at least three months, authenticated by a bank manager within the court’s jurisdiction.

The court further ordered the surety to depose to an affidavit of means, enter into a bail bond and submit a recent passport photograph to the registry.

As part of the bail conditions, El-Rufai is to deposit all valid international passports with the court registry.

The court also directed that a verification letter from the surety’s immediate department be submitted, alongside a tax clearance certificate covering the last six months.

Justice Abdulmalik further ordered the defendant to report to the Department of State Services headquarters every last Friday of the month at 10 a.m. to sign an attendance register pending the determination of the case.

The judge warned that failure to comply with the conditions would lead to automatic revocation of bail, and also directed the submission of a letter of attestation from the Chairman of the Kaduna Traditional Council. (Nigerian Tribune)

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