The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the administration of President Bola Tinubu of applying selective justice in the handling of legal cases involving former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and former Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami.

In a statement issued by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the opposition party said the sequence of arrests, inter-agency custody transfers, and the pace of actions against the two former officials have raised public concerns about fairness and consistency in the application of the law.

“The ADC has been monitoring the ongoing legal cases involving two of our leaders… As a law-abiding party, it is important to state for the record that the ADC believes no citizen, regardless of stature or past office, is above the law,” Abdullahi said.

He, however, stressed that in a constitutional democracy, justice must be applied “evenly, transparently, and without political calculation,” arguing that the rapid movement of Malami and El-Rufai between law enforcement agencies while investigations are ongoing creates the perception of pre-trial punishment.

“In a democracy governed by the rule of law, custody must follow credible, well-prepared charges, not precede them in a manner that creates the appearance of pre-trial punishment,” the statement added.

The party challenged authorities to prosecute transparently if evidence exists against the two men, insisting that due process must be followed.

The ADC also cited what it described as a contrasting high-profile case involving allegations of passport forgery and international conspiracy, where the accused persons were granted bail and proceedings are progressing swiftly. It argued that all defendants are constitutionally presumed innocent until proven guilty in court.

“We will continue to stand by our members as they assert their legal rights. We will ensure that they are not isolated, intimidated, or denied the protections that every Nigerian citizen is entitled to under the law,” the party stated.

The development adds another dimension to the ongoing political and legal tensions ahead of the 2027 general elections.