Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has said an alleged attempt to arrest him has reinforced his determination to remove President Bola Tinubu from office in the 2027 general elections.
He called on opposition forces to unite and work towards defeating the current administration at the polls.
El-Rufai made the statement when former Vice President Atiku Abubakar visited him following an incident in which security operatives reportedly tried to detain him at an airport.
According to him, “What happened today has made me more determined. We must keep working and not rest until March 2027 when we remove this government from office.”
He characterised the airport episode as regrettable, unwarranted and potentially unlawful.
El-Rufai disclosed that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission had previously invited him for questioning but noted that he was outside the country at the time. He said his legal representative notified the commission of his travel and indicated that he would return to honour the invitation on Monday at 10 a.m.
He maintained that he did not receive any communication from the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission before the airport incident.
“All I asked for was a letter of invitation, and I would have honoured it,” he said.
The former governor also alleged that the ICPC’s action was carried out on the directive of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. He accused the administration of deploying security agencies for political ends.
According to El-Rufai, security institutions are being used as instruments of partisan politics by a government apprehensive about its re-election prospects. He cautioned that such practices could undermine democratic structures and weaken adherence to the rule of law.
He added that he remains willing to respond to any legitimate invitation from anti-graft agencies, provided that established legal procedures are observed.
