The wives of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, on Tuesday appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene in what they described as the prolonged “ordeal” of their family, urging the Federal Government to uphold the former governor’s constitutional rights while his trial continues.
Addressing journalists in Abuja, Asiya El-Rufai, accompanied by Aichatou El-Rufai, said the family was not asking the President to interfere with the judicial process or halt the prosecution but to ensure that El-Rufai is accorded the rights guaranteed to every Nigerian, including access to medical care, lawyers, relatives and bail on reasonable terms.
The appeal came amid the arrest of Professor Bello Abubakar, El-Rufai’s personal physician, by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission. The commission had alleged that the former governor and his doctor abused official privileges and violated a court order relating to a medical consultation.
In an emotional appeal directed at President Tinubu, Asiya reminded the President of the political support she and her husband rendered during the 2023 presidential election.
“Mr. President, I campaigned for you. I went to every nook and cranny of Kaduna State in support of your election. My husband stood solidly by your side. Is this what our family deserves?” she asked.
She said the family believed the President possesses the authority to ensure that the former governor’s fundamental rights are respected without compromising the legal process.
“The ball is in your court, Mr. President. We believe you are a father and can empathise with what we are going through. We are not asking you to stop the prosecution; we are only asking that justice be administered fairly,” she said.
According to her, the family is demanding nothing beyond what the Constitution guarantees every citizen.
“Let him have access to his doctors, lawyers and family members. Let him be granted bail on terms he can reasonably meet. If he is guilty, let the court convict him. If he is innocent, let the court discharge him,” she said.
Asiya also expressed concern over El-Rufai’s health, alleging that the former governor, who reportedly suffers from hypertension and fluctuating blood sugar levels, has been denied adequate medical attention while in custody.
She described the family’s experience as emotionally draining, alleging that the restrictions imposed on the former governor amount to psychological pressure.
“We are traumatised. Every day, we fear receiving devastating news. We believe what is happening is intended not only to punish Mallam but to break his family psychologically,” she said.
She further questioned the alleged directive preventing Professor Bello Abubakar from seeing the former governor.
“We were informed that orders from ‘above’ directed that Professor Bello Abubakar should not have access to anyone for 24 hours. We want to know who exactly gave those orders,” she said.
The family also raised concerns over a medical report allegedly issued by the National Hospital, Abuja, calling for an independent investigation into the document and the circumstances surrounding its issuance.
They maintained that the restrictions placed on El-Rufai have hampered his ability to prepare an effective legal defence.
“We are prepared to defend ourselves in court because we believe in the rule of law. However, there can only be justice where there is a fair trial. Mallam cannot adequately prepare his defence while he remains in custody with limited access to his legal team,” Asiya said.
She urged the authorities to grant the former governor bail pending the conclusion of his trial, insisting that the courts—not prolonged detention—should determine his innocence or guilt.
“Our appeal is simple: uphold the Constitution, respect his fundamental rights, grant him reasonable bail and allow the judicial process to take its course,” she said.