Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has accused the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of plotting to weaken the African Democratic Congress (ADC) by allegedly deploying the judiciary against the opposition party.
He made the allegation on Thursday night during a solidarity visit to former Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai, following claims that security operatives attempted to detain him at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
Earlier on Thursday, Muyiwa Adekeye, media aide to el-Rufai, alleged in a post on X that security agents approached the former governor shortly after he arrived in Abuja from Cairo, Egypt, on Wednesday. According to Adekeye, el-Rufai declined to accompany the operatives because they did not present a formal invitation.
“Security agents today attempted to arrest Malam Nasir El-Rufai as he arrived on a flight from Cairo,” Adekeye wrote.
“Malam El-Rufai declined to follow them without a formal invitation. They however snatched his international passport from an aide.”
Speaking during the visit, Abubakar said he had received what he described as reliable intelligence indicating a fresh move against the opposition.
“Just as they undermined and sabotaged the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), there are also efforts and plans to undermine the ADC by using the judiciary again,” Abubakar said.
“We must be alert, and we must stand up against that plan to undermine the opposition.
“This is a very, very credible information. So we should all be at alert and make sure that the judiciary is not used to undermine the ADC.
“Just as it has been used to undermine, to destroy the PDP. We must all unite and stand up to all these anti-democratic forces. I thank you very much indeed.”
The former vice-president also criticised what he described as an attempt to humiliate el-Rufai, warning that such actions reflect poorly on the wider political class.
“By embarrassing you, they are embarrassing the entire political class. We condemn it in totality and we will stand by you,” he said.
In his response, former Governor el-Rufai expressed appreciation for the visit and support.
“You have always shown concern for my personal welfare and for that of our friends and associates,” he said.
“This visit further reinforces the concern that you have consistently shown, for which I will be eternally grateful.
“What happened at the airport today, as you correctly observed, was most unfortunate, totally unnecessary, and probably criminal as well.”
