The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has condemned what it described as an attempted arrest of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai by security operatives at an airport, warning that the incident reflects a growing pattern of political intimidation and selective law enforcement in Nigeria.
In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said the operatives allegedly moved to apprehend El-Rufai without presenting an arrest warrant, a development it described as a serious breach of due process and democratic norms.
The ADC accused the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of presiding over what it called an increasingly partisan use of state power, claiming that opposition figures are being subjected to heightened scrutiny while politically exposed individuals aligned with the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) are allegedly shielded from accountability.
“While no individual is above the law, the law must never be weaponized against political opponents,” the statement read. “Reports that security operatives lay in wait for Mallam El-Rufai at the airport without a warrant, if confirmed, signal a dangerous erosion of constitutional safeguards.”
The party further alleged a double standard in the country’s anti-corruption efforts, arguing that individuals facing corruption allegations are often welcomed into the ruling party, while critics of the government are aggressively pursued.
According to the ADC, such selective accountability undermines public confidence in the justice system and weakens the moral authority of government.
“The strength of a democracy is measured not by how it treats its allies, but by how it treats its critics,” the statement said, warning against what it termed the normalization of political intimidation.
The party called on security and law enforcement agencies to uphold professionalism and constitutional principles, stressing that political competition should be resolved through elections rather than coercion.
It added that it would continue to monitor developments closely and take action wherever democratic norms are threatened.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from security agencies or the federal government regarding the alleged attempted arrest.
