Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has urged the opposition not to relent in its efforts to remove President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s government from power in the 2027 general elections.

El-Rufai made the call while speaking to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar during a visit, shortly after an alleged attempt by security operatives to detain him at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja on Thursday.

He said the Incident had further strengthened his determination to work towards ending Tinubu’s administration at the next polls.

The former governor described the airport incident as unfortunate and alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) wanted to use operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain him without any prior invitation.

He claimed that while the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier invited him for questioning, his lawyer notified the agency that he was out of the country and would appear on Monday at 10 a.m.

El-Rufai maintained that he received no communication from the ICPC before the airport incident.

He further alleged that the ICPC acted on the directive of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, accusing the government of using security agencies for political purposes.

El-Rufai warned that such actions could weaken democratic institutions, adding that the administration was determined to retain power at all costs.

He said, “Your Excellency, I assure you that what has happened today has further reinforced my belief that we must work hard. We must not sleep between now and March 2027 until we remove this tyrant.

“Your Excellency what happened at the airport today as you correctly observed is quite unfortunate, total unnecessary and probably criminal as well because agencies have rules of engagement and all I asked for was give me a letter of invitation and I will visit your office.

“But it turned out that it was the ICPC that procured the DSS to abduct me and hand me over to them. The ICPC has never contacted me or sort to invite me up to the point we were at the airport.

“The EFCC had written, inviting me but I was out of the country, my lawyer wrote to them to say that I will return and be there on Monday at 10am.

“ICPC I have never heard anything from them. But we understand that it was the ICPC not EFCC that was responsible for what happened.

“ICPC chairman was acting on direct orders from Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser. We have reduced security agencies to be arms of a political party and a government that knows it’s unelectable and wants to remain in power at all cost.” (Nigerian Tribune)