- Slam Tinubu for husband’s ruthless betrayal
BY SEGUN ADEBAYO – The wives of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, have raised an alarm over what they perceive as political persecution of their husband by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration.
In a direct message to the President, Hajiya Asiya and Aichatou El-Rufai condemned the former governor’s continued detention by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) as well as the recent arrest of his personal physician.
Speaking from their Abuja residence, Hajiya Asiya, who reminded Tinubu of their loyalty in the buildup to the 2023 presidential election campaign, said: “Mr. President, Sir, I campaigned for you”, maintaining that her husband does not deserve the treatment he is currently receiving.
Flanked by her co-wife, Aichatou, the politician’s wife demanded fair treatment for their husband,
alleging that after being diagnosed of High Blood Pressure and High Blood Sugar level, he was being denied access to medical treatment.
Asiya said the family was not asking the President to interfere with the judicial process or halt the prosecution of El-Rufai, but to ensure that he enjoys the constitutional rights available to every Nigerian, including access to medical care, family members, lawyers and bail on reasonable terms.
“Mr. President Sir, I campaigned for you. I stood up and went to every nook and cranny of Kaduna State for you. My husband stood by your side. Is this what our family deserves?” she asked.
“The ball is in your court, Mr. President. All these can stop if you say a word. We believe that you are a father and we know you can empathise.
“Please let him go free. I am not asking you to tell them not to prosecute him, but we are asking you to allow him the basic human rights that the Constitution you swore to uphold and defend guarantees. Let them give him the bail that he can afford. If he is guilty, let the court decide; if he is innocent, let the court decide.”
Further alleging that El-Rufai’s continued detention and denial of access to his doctors and relatives had left the family traumatised, she said: “We, the family, are traumatised. We live in constant fear that we will wake up and hear some bad news”.
While describing the situation as psychological pressure on both her husband and the family, Hajiya Asiya said: “I honestly think that what they are doing is more about psychological warfare against Malam and against his family. If they humiliate us, dehumanise us and put us in constant fear, they feel that affects Malam.”
She also questioned the reported decision to deny El-Rufai’s personal physician access to him, saying, “We were told that orders from ‘above’ said Professor Bello Abubakar cannot have access to anybody for 24 hours.”
Asking rhetorically, “Who is the ‘above’?”, Asiya further claimed that El-Rufai had been denied regular access to his personal doctors, while visits by relatives had become increasingly restricted.
Additionally, she expressed worry over a medical report purportedly issued by the National Hospital, Abuja, saying questions surrounding the document’s authenticity and the circumstances under which it was issued should be properly investigated through the consultant whose name appeared on it.
According to the family, the restrictions have made it difficult for the former governor to adequately prepare his defence, adding: “We do not shy away from defending ourselves, but we want a fair trial.
“We want an opportunity to be heard. Malam cannot adequately prepare for his defence while he remains in custody and has limited access to his lawyers.
“We are only asking that he be given the basic human rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Let him be granted bail on reasonable terms. If he is guilty, let the court decide. If he is innocent, let the court also decide.”
This explosive reaction comes on the heels of ICPC’s arrest of Mallam El-Rufai’s personal physician on Tuesday, with the family claiming political persecution by the government because of his scathing criticisms of the current policies and programmes.
