In a fiery escalation of political rhetoric ahead of the 2027 general elections, Phrank Shaibu, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, directly challenged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu over the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.
Speaking on Sunday, September 27, 2026, during a live broadcast on Arise Television’s News Insight program monitored in Abuja, Shaibu characterized El-Rufai as a “political prisoner of conscience” and dared the administration to release him if they genuinely believe he poses no threat to the ruling party’s reelection prospects.
”If you guys truly believe El-Rufai poses no threat to Tinubu’s electoral quest, then release him,” Shaibu declared during the broadcast. “Let him test his strength in the open, and let Nigerians decide.”
El-Rufai has been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) following his arrest on February 18, 2026.
While anti-graft agencies maintain that the detention is connected to ongoing investigations into financial impropriety during his tenure as governor, opposition figures insist the move is politically motivated to neutralize key opposition strategists ahead of the next political cycle.
Shaibu argued that the federal government’s reluctance to grant El-Rufai bail or conclude proceedings demonstrates anxiety within the administration regarding potential opposition realignments.
He urged the presidency to stop using state law enforcement agencies as tools for political containment and instead allow all political actors to compete on a level playing field.
As of Sunday evening, the Presidency and representatives for the ICPC have not issued an official response to Shaibu’s latest statements.
