15:T70d,

Ex-Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, is being restricted from leaving his hotel room in Awka, the Anambra State capital, in South-East Nigeria, for his own good, it has been revealed.

El-Rufai, who is an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain, is in the state in connection with today’s governorship election in which his party’s candidate, Senator Chris Ngige, is one of the leading contenders.

Giving an account of what happened, El-Rufai said he was met by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS) shortly after he arrived Awka yesterday evening and checked into his hotel. He said they offered him protection in view of the security situation in the state, where there is a history of kidnapping of high profile persons.

The controversial former minister, who spoke on phone to AIT, said he rejected the offer, explaining that he already had a police orderly. He said that despite this, the SSS men this morning restrained him from leaving the hotel, saying he was being restricted for his own safety.

“There are many people here in the hotel; I’m not the only one,” said El-Rufai, who vowed to physically force himself out of the hotel.

However, reacting after News Express broke the story of El-Rufai’s restriction, an official of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) accused El-Rufai on playing to the gallery as he is not the only party chieftain so restricted.

“Why has he become important?”asked the INEC official. “Of what importance is he to the election in the state? Is he the only political party chieftain in the state who are under restrictive movement?”

•Photo shows El-Rufai.

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