The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Federal Government of using state institutions to intimidate opposition figures following the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
In a statement released on May 22 and Signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary, the party said its senior leaders were denied access to El-Rufai when they visited the ICPC headquarters in Abuja earlier in the day.
According to the ADC, the delegation included the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, former APC National Vice Chairman Salihu Lukman, and National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi.
The party claimed the atmosphere at the commission became tense after “no fewer than three truckloads of armed police officers” reportedly arrived at the premises while the leaders were waiting to see El-Rufai.
ADC described the security deployment as “entirely unnecessary and disproportionate,” insisting that the delegation was peaceful and unarmed.
“It is deeply troubling that a simple request by senior party officials to visit a detained colleague was met, not with professionalism, but with a show of force,” the statement read.
The opposition party also alleged that El-Rufai has faced repeated restrictions to family members and medical personnel, warning that the situation increasingly appears like “punishment by process” and “intimidation through isolation.”
The ADC stressed that El-Rufai voluntarily submitted himself to authorities and should be entitled to dignity, medical care, family access, and fair treatment under the law.
“The ADC will not stand by and watch one of its leaders subjected to this pattern of harassment and calculated humiliation,” the statement added.
The party called on the ICPC to immediately grant unrestricted access to El-Rufai by his family, lawyers, doctors, and political associates, warning that anything short of that would further fuel public concerns that state institutions are being weaponised against opposition voices.