Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has alleged that there are plans by the government to destabilize the African Democratic Congress (ADC) through the judiciary, urging opposition members to remain vigilant against what he described as attempts to weaken the party.
Atiku made the remarks while addressing former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who was reportedly confronted by security operatives at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport upon his return from Cairo, Egypt.
Security agents allegedly seized El-Rufai’s passport and attempted to place him under arrest before allowing him to leave.
Speaking on the incident, Atiku condemned the actions of the security personnel, describing the development as an embarrassment not only to El-Rufai but to the entire nation.
“My brother, you are welcome, I hope that inspite of the trouble, you are here to enjoy the company of members of your family,” he said.
He continued, “Let me use this opportunity to strongly condemned what happened today at the airport, there was no reason for that, the security agents who tried to embarrass you at the airport. They have embarrassed all Nigerians. There was no reason for that, because, this is a democratic society, this is a society governed by rule of law. There was absolutely no need for them to try to kidnap at the airport. They could allow you to return to your house and then invite you.”
Atiku noted that El-Rufai had served the country in several capacities and deserved to be treated with dignity.
“You have held many positions in this country, you were a minister, you were a governor. They could have waited for you and then invite you. By embrassing you ,they have embarrassed the whole political class,” he stated.
The former vice president alleged that similar tactics previously deployed against the Peoples Democratic Party are now being directed at the ADC.
“Just they undermined and sabotage the PDP, they have planned to undermine and sabotage the ADC by using the judiciary again. We must be alert, and we must stand up to resist the attempt to undermine the opposition, this is a very credible information. We must be at alert to ensure that the judiciary is not used to undermine the ADC,” Atiku said.
The incident at the airport has since generated reactions among political stakeholders, with concerns raised over the treatment of opposition figures and the broader implications for Nigeria’s democratic process.
