Barr. Solomon Dalung, former minister of youth and sports development, has described the continued detention of Mallam Nasir El-Rufai as persecution.
Dalung, a Plateau-born politician, said the situation of the former Kaduna state governor reflects selective justice rather than due process.
“Mallam El-Rufai’s continued detention is no more a case of prosecution but rather persecution and selective justice,” he said.
He, however, declared support for El-Rufai, who is also his fellow politician at the African Democratic Congress (ADC)
“I stand with El-Rufai,” he added.
El-Rufai is standing trial on corruption charges, which stemmed from his activities as Kaduna State governor between May 2015 and May 2023.
On 13 April, the ICPC arraigned him on nine amended corruption charges. He denied all charges.
In his ruling delivered on 14 April, Judge Rilwanu Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Kaduna granted the former governor bail in the sum of N200 million with two sureties, among other conditions.
El-Rufai, who has described his arrest, detention and prosecution as political persecution, faces nine corruption charges before the Kaduna State High Court. He faces 10 other charges at the Federal High Court in Kaduna. He has denied all charges at both courts.