Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has called on opposition leaders to stay focused on removing President Bola Tinubu from power in the 2027 general elections. He spoke after an alleged attempt by security agents to detain him at the Abuja International Airport.
Speaking when former Vice President Atiku Abubakar visited him, El-Rufai said the incident strengthened his resolve to fight the current government.
“Your Excellency, I assure you that what happened has further reinforced my belief that we must work hard. We must not sleep between now and March 2027 until we remove this tyrant from office,” he said.
El-Rufai described the airport incident as “unfortunate, totally unnecessary, and probably criminal.” He alleged that the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC) used operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain him and hand him over to the anti-graft agency without any prior invitation.
He said he had earlier received an invitation from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) but was out of the country at the time. According to him, his lawyer informed the EFCC that he would return and appear before the Commission on Monday at 10 a.m. He added that he never received any communication from the ICPC before the airport incident.
The former governor also accused the government of using security agencies for political purposes. He alleged that the ICPC acted on the orders of the National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, and warned that such actions could weaken democratic institutions.
El-Rufai claimed the government was trying to hold on to power at all costs and urged the opposition to remain united and determined ahead of the 2027 elections.
