Atiku predicts revolution in Nigeria after visiting El-Rufai
By: Amarachi Johnson
Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Atiku Abubakar, has condemned what he described as a “crude and unorthodox” attempt to arrest former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja on Thursday.
He warned that the citizens could be pushed into a revolution through human rights abuses.
Atiku said: "I hope they will learn from what they saw at the airport because it was people on their own that resisted the arrest.
"What they don't understand is that there could be a revolution in this country because people will no longer accept the violation of their human rights.
"What happened at the airport was absolutely uncalled for".
Meanwhile, earlier in a statement issued by his media office, Atiku criticized the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for allegedly targeting opposition figures, particularly ADC leaders, without due process.
“While I support the anti-corruption effort in the country, I am worried about the politicisation of arrests that disproportionately target opposition leaders, especially the ADC since it came into being,” Atiku said.
He accused the EFCC of deviating from its constitutional mandate, warning that such actions risk undermining the commission’s credibility and independence.
Atiku recalled that the Uwais Panel on Electoral Reforms had recommended that the EFCC Chairman should be answerable to the Chief Justice of Nigeria to protect the commission from political interference.
He lamented that a subsequent implementation panel under the Umaru Musa Yar’Adua administration failed to adopt this recommendation.
Atiku urged EFCC leadership to rise above partisanship and prioritize the public interest, adding: “Governments come and go, and the agency’s loyalty to the constitution should not be sacrificed on the altar of partisan bias and interest.”
