Lauretta Onochie, who previously served as a media aide to late former President Muhammadu Buhari, has demanded the unconditional release of Nasir El-Rufai, a prominent figure in the African Democratic Congress (ADC). She argued that holding him under dubious circumstances fuels concerns that state mechanisms are being used to target political adversaries.
On social media platform X, Onochie emphasized that dissenting voices must be allowed to speak freely, not suppressed through incarceration. She stated: “In any democratic system, opposition viewpoints should be countered with arguments, not jail terms. Turning political involvement into a reason for persecution puts democracy itself on trial.”
She noted that El-Rufai has been detained for several months on allegations widely viewed by Nigerians as politically driven and fabricated. “What is even more alarming are claims that his release hinges on political concessions: either rejoin the APC or quit politics entirely. That is not justice. That is coercion and political intimidation disguised as legal procedure,” she added.
Onochie stressed that Nigeria cannot present itself as a democracy while punishing those who refuse to conform. She asserted that the rights to political affiliation, opposition, and participation are enshrined in every constitutional democracy. No citizen should have to barter their freedom for political submission, she insisted.
“If there is a legitimate case against him, let it be tried openly, fairly, and without delay before a competent court. However, continued detention under questionable circumstances only reinforces the belief that state power is being misused to silence opponents. This goes beyond Nasir El-Rufai. It touches the very foundation of Nigerian democracy—whether citizens can still disagree, compete for power, and speak without fear,” she said.
She concluded by calling for his immediate release, even if on bail, pending a just resolution of his case. “A democracy that incarcerates opposition voices today may find itself with no opposition tomorrow. A nation without opposition is a nation under dictatorship,” Onochie warned.