Former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Refai has called on opposition leaders to remain united and focused on unseating President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 general elections.
- Gatekeepers News reports that El-Rufai spoke after former Vice President Atiku Abubakar paid him a visit, following what he described as an attempted detention by security agents at an airport.
According to El-Rufai, the incident has strengthened his resolve to challenge the current administration.
“What happened today has made me more determined. We must keep working and not rest until March 2027 when we remove this government from office,” he said.
He described the airport episode as “unfortunate, unnecessary and possibly unlawful.”
El-Rufai alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) used operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain him without first issuing a formal invitation.
He explained that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) had earlier invited him for questioning, but he was outside the country at the time. His lawyer, he said, notified the commission that he would return and appear at its office on Monday at 10 a.m.
He insisted that he never received any letter or message from the ICPC before the airport incident.
“All I asked for was a letter of invitation, and I would have honoured it,” he said.
The former governor further alleged that the ICPC acted on the instructions of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, accusing the government of using security agencies for political ends.
According to him, security institutions are being turned into tools of partisan politics by an administration that fears it may not win re-election.
He warned that such actions could weaken democratic institutions and the rule of law, stressing that he is ready to respond to any lawful invitation from anti-corruption agencies, provided due process is followed.
