ADC accuses Tinubu government of selective justice in El-Rufai and Malami cases

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Tinubu administration of applying the law unevenly in its pursuit of two of the party’s prominent members — former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, ADC National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi said the manner in which the two men have been handled — including being moved between the custody of different law enforcement agencies while investigations appear to still be ongoing — had raised serious questions about fairness and consistency.

“Custody must follow credible, well-prepared charges, not precede them in a manner that creates the appearance of pre-trial punishment,” the party said.
The ADC was clear that it was not arguing that its members were above the law. “No citizen, regardless of stature or past office, is above the law,” Abdullahi said. But the party insisted that justice must be applied “evenly, transparently, and without political calculation.”

Read Also: Nigeria enters election season as opposition left to play catch up – Bloomberg

The opposition party also drew a pointed contrast with a separate high-profile case involving allegations of passport forgery, international conspiracy, and impersonation — where, it noted, the accused were granted bail and court proceedings are moving swiftly. The ADC argued that the comparison raised uncomfortable questions about why the same urgency and procedural clarity had not been extended to the cases of El-Rufai and Malami.

“If there is evidence against Malami, prosecute him transparently. If there is evidence against El-Rufai, present it before the court and allow the law to take its course,” the statement read.

The party said it would continue to support both men as they asserted their legal rights, and warned against any attempt to isolate or intimidate them. “They are presumed innocent under the Constitution until proven otherwise in a fair and competent court of law. That presumption should not be treated as a courtesy, but as a constitutional guarantee,” the ADC added.