A group under the aegis of the African Democratic Congress(ADC) youths has accused the federal government of using the court to prevent former Kaduna state Governor Nasir El- Rufai from participating in their party’s national convention slated for April 14.
The group made the accusation in a statement in reaction to the federal high court’s decision to adjourn El-Rufia’s bail application to April 14, the same date scheduled for its national convention.
It alleged that the adjournment was a “deliberate and calculated attempt” to weaken the opposition party at a critical moment.
It described the development as “a brazen act of political sabotage,” insisting that the timing of the adjournment could not be a coincidence but rather a move designed to keep El-Rufai out of circulation during a key political gathering.
According to the group, the continued detention of the former governor, despite what it described as his voluntary return to Nigeria to face the charges after mourning his mother, undermines claims that the prosecution is driven by accountability.
It alleged that the refusal to grant bail signals a shift from anti-corruption efforts to what it termed a broader crackdown on opposition figures, particularly within the ADC.
“The administration has dropped the mask of accountability and revealed a desperate agenda to sabotage the ADC,” the group stated.
It further alleged that beyond the courtroom, members of the party in Kaduna State are facing what it described as an escalating campaign of intimidation and repression.
The group claimed that ADC members and grassroots organisers have been subjected to targeted arrests on what it called “baseless security pretexts,” while political thugs have allegedly been deployed to harass supporters and vandalise party offices.
It also alleged growing fear in Kaduna, saying that affiliation with the ADC is increasingly being treated as a criminal offence in the state.
Calling on the judiciary to act independently, the group demanded the immediate release of El-Rufai on bail, warning against what it described as attempts to use the courts as instruments of political control.
It urged party members and supporters of El-Rufai and the ADC to remain resolute, calling for “peaceful resistance” in the face of what they termed oppression.
Despite the controversy, the group insisted that the ADC National Convention would proceed as planned on April 14, stating that any attempt to disrupt the event would only strengthen the resolve of party members.
