El-Rufai: Bail mustn’t become punishment before conviction – Atiku to Tinubu’s govt

Former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Atiku Abubakar, has expressed grave concern over the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai.

This comes as the Federal High Court refuses to review bail conditions for the embattled former governor. 

Atiku, in a statement issued by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, said the development raises troubling questions about the state of constitutional liberties, the administration of justice, and the growing tendency to weaponise legal processes against political opponents.

He noted that while courts possess the discretionary authority to impose bail conditions, such discretion must be exercised judicially and judiciously. Conditions that are manifestly excessive, unreasonable, or impossible to fulfil defeat the very purpose of bail and amount to detention through procedural means.

“The law is settled that an accused person remains innocent until proven guilty. Bail exists to preserve that constitutional protection. It was never designed to become a sophisticated instrument for punishment before conviction.

“When a court insists on conditions that require a defendant to produce a serving Grade Level 17 federal civil servant who must also own verifiable property in Maitama or Asokoro and satisfy a maze of additional requirements, Nigerians are entitled to ask a simple question: is the objective to grant bail or to ensure that bail remains unattainable?” He queried.

Atiku warned that the danger of such precedents extends far beyond the person of Nasir El-Rufai.

“This is not merely about one individual. It is about the principles that underpin a democratic society governed by the rule of law. Today it is El-Rufai. 

“Tomorrow it could be any citizen whose liberty depends not on the law but on whether he can satisfy conditions that few Nigerians can ever meet,” he added.

DAILY POST reports that El-Rufai is currently facing separate trials bordering on alleged corruption and national security breaches.