Concerning constitutional and democratic issues, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has denounced the purported attempt by security personnel to detain former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport without a warrant.
The party said the episode was part of a worrying pattern of selective enforcement against opposition figures under President Bola Tinubu’s administration, in a statement released on Friday and signed by Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, its National Publicity Secretary.
Although it warned against what it called the weaponization of state institutions against political opponents, the ADC insisted that no one is above the law.
“We state unequivocally that the law must never be used as a weapon against political opponents, even though the ADC continues to hold that no individual is above the law,” the statement said.
According to the party, security personnel reportedly waited for El-Rufai at the airport with the goal of arresting him, but at the time they were unable to provide a warrant.
According to the ADC, “if verified, this is not just a procedural error but a concerning indication that due process is being viewed as optional when opposition figures are involved.”
The opposition party also denounced what it called a “double standard” in the fight against corruption, claiming that while government critics are scrutinized more closely, politically exposed individuals who are accused of corruption are frequently supported by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
The party stated, “Even more concerning is the growing perception that while opposition leaders are aggressively pursued, individuals with pending corruption allegations are welcomed into the APC with pomp and pageantry.”
Many Nigerians believe that past transgressions are silently erased once one joins the ruling party.
According to the ADC, this kind of selective accountability undermines the moral authority of government and erodes public confidence in the rule of law.
Although the party reiterated its dedication to accountability and transparency, it maintained that justice must not be perceived as wearing partisan colors.
The statement went on, “Justice must never wear partisan colors, accountability must be fair, and due process must be visible.”
The ADC urged law enforcement and security organizations to continue operating in a professional and legally directed manner.
According to the party, “Nigerians deserve explicit guarantees that the state’s coercive powers will not be used, or perceived to be used, for partisan ends.”
The ADC emphasized that democracy must be reinforced, not weakened, and cautioned against what it called any decline towards political intimidation.
The statement went on to say that “persuasion and the ballot, not the shadow of selective law enforcement, must settle political competition in Nigeria.”
