An ADC chieftain and retired broadcaster, Mohammed Barde, has alleged that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and leaders of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, are afraid of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai because of his political influence.
Speaking in an interview with Trust TV on Friday, Barde claimed that El-Rufai’s legal troubles are politically motivated rather than purely judicial.
“The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Bola Tinubu, is scared of Nasir, very, very scared of him. People in government are scared of Nasir. He has become an enigma to the APC and the Presidency, they don’t want him to be free, and that’s why they are keeping him there,” Barde said.
He argued that other former governors accused of more serious offences remain free, while El-Rufai is facing prosecution, which he said suggests political persecution.
When asked why other prominent opposition politicians like Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi have not been subjected to similar legal proceedings, Barde insisted that El-Rufai’s case is exceptional because of his political significance.
“I believe Nasir is in this situation because the President and all the people in the APC are scared of him,” he added.
The retired broadcaster also claimed that El-Rufai played a significant role in the political emergence of President Tinubu and other national figures, arguing that his contributions have not been acknowledged.
