Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has sharply criticised the Federal Government over its handling of the security concerns raised by the party's presidential candidate, Peter Obi, and the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, urging authorities to uphold justice, fairness, and the rule of law.
In a statement issued on Thursday, 9 July 2026, Kwankwaso said Obi deserved state protection after expressing fears about his personal safety, while El-Rufai should be granted due process and a fair trial in line with constitutional provisions. Reacting to Obi's recent interview with media personality Chude Jideonwo, in which the former Anambra State governor voiced serious worries about his personal safety and alleged that his role as an opposition leader had negatively affected his businesses, Kwankwaso faulted the Federal Government's dismissive response.
Kwankwaso condemned the Presidency's combative reaction to Obi's concerns, particularly the remarks by President Bola Tinubu's Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, who had dismissed Obi's allegations as false and misleading, describing him as a "serial liar" and accusing him of fabricating victimhood. The NDC vice-presidential candidate declared that worries about Obi's personal safety or that of any Nigerian should not result in insults and derogatory language from the presidency.
"Let me state clearly: like every Nigerian, our presidential candidate and all of us deserve the full protection of the state, not ridicule for raising legitimate concerns," Kwankwaso said. He added that "a government entrusted with protecting citizens should not dismiss or mock credible calls for help from any individual, including Mr. Peter Obi". Democratic leadership, he stressed, requires fairness, justice, and restraint, and he urged the government to handle both matters with transparency, accountability, and justice.
Turning his attention to the detention of El-Rufai, Kwankwaso expressed deep distress over the emotional media appearance by the former governor's wives, Asiya and Aichatou, who had publicly detailed the family's severe mental anguish and alleged that the arrest of El-Rufai's longtime physician, Professor Bello Abubakar, amounted to the "weaponisation" of healthcare.
"Regardless of political affiliation, Malam El-Rufai, like every Nigerian, is entitled to due process and the presumption of innocence until proven guilty by a competent court," Kwankwaso said. He argued that the delay in granting El-Rufai bail under what he described as "stringent and unreasonable conditions" was troubling, insisting that, as an unconvicted citizen, the former governor deserved "a fair and expeditious trial" while his health and that of his family should be protected. Kwankwaso maintained that the stringent, unfulfilled bail conditions keeping El-Rufai in custody amount to an intentional administrative delay.
Kwankwaso issued a stern warning against the use of state institutions to settle political scores, saying, "These issues must not be weaponised to settle political scores. For our democracy to truly thrive, every citizen, young or old, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or political persuasion, must receive equal and equitable treatment under the law from the government that exists to protect us all". He called on the Federal Government to ensure that the matters concerning both Obi and El-Rufai are handled with the seriousness they deserve, warning that failure to do so would further erode public confidence in Nigeria's democratic institutions.
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