Peter Obi Calls El-Rufai's Detention Political Persecution

Peter Obi, the former Governor of Anambra State and a member of the Labour Party, condemned the detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing it as political persecution. Obi made these remarks during a stakeholders' meeting in Kaduna.

El-Rufai, who recently joined the African Democratic Congress (ADC) amid political defections, has been a vocal critic of Obi during the 2023 presidential campaign. The controversy surrounding El-Rufai's case began on February 12, 2023, when security operatives attempted to arrest Nnamdi Azikiwe at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja.

Following this, El-Rufai voluntarily reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission headquarters on February 16 and was subsequently transferred into custody. A magistrate court issued a remand order on February 19, which was extended on March 5.

El-Rufai's legal team has challenged the legality of the search and remand orders in the Federal High Court in Abuja.