Peter Obi, presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), says he was moved by the tears of Asiya el-Rufai, one of the wives of Nasir el-Rufai, former governor of Kaduna.
On Tuesday, el-Rufai’s wives held a press conference in
Abuja to appeal to President Bola Tinubu over the former governor’s ordeal in
the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences
Commission (ICPC).
During the briefing, Asiya said the family was not asking
President Bola Tinubu to interfere with the judicial process or halt the
prosecution of her husband.
She said the family was only seeking the constitutional
rights guaranteed to every Nigerian, including access to medical care, family
members, lawyers and bail on reasonable terms.
Addressing the president directly, an emotional Asiya
recalled the role she and her husband played in Tinubu’s 2023 presidential
campaign.
‘BAIL CONDITIONS SHOULDN’T BE PUNITIVE BEFORE TRIAL’
In a statement issued on Wednesday, Obi said regardless of
the alleged offences against el-Rufai, “justice must be transparent and fair,
with reasonable bail conditions that should not be seen as punitive before
trial”.
The former Anambra governor said institutions exist to
protect the rights of citizens under democratic rule.
“I woke this morning in America and was deeply moved by an
emotional viral video of Hajiya Asiya El-Rufai, prompting deep reflection on
our nation’s future,” he said.
“We must resist any hint of selective justice that erodes
public trust and threatens national unity. Those tasked with enforcing our laws
must act professionally and strictly follow due process.
“Let us strive for a Nigeria where the law is paramount, and
where every citizen is guaranteed dignity and justice. This is the foundation
of the New Nigeria we envisage.”
On Tuesday, ICPC arrested Bello Abubakar, el-Rufai’s
personal physician, for allegedly making false statements after his visit to
the former governor.
The commission alleged that el-Rufai and Abubakar abused
their privileges and violated a court order governing the medical consultation.
The ICPC is prosecuting el-Rufai on separate criminal
charges before the Kaduna high court and the federal high court in Kaduna.
On July 2, the Kaduna high court d dismissed a bail
application filed by el-Rufai in the ongoing trial over the nine-count charge
filed against him by the ICPC.
In April, the federal high court in Kaduna granted the
former governor bail in the sum of N200 million.
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