Bleak electoral prospect pressuring ADC to undermine due process in El-Rufai, Malami trials – TDF

The Democratic Front (TDF) has described as reckless, a recent statement by the National Publicity Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Bolaji Abdullahi which wrongly accused the government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu of selective justice in the ongoing trials of the former Governor of Kaduna State Malam Nasiru El Rufai and the former Attorney General of the Federation Abubakar Malami.

In a statement signed by its Chairman, Mallam Danjuma Muhammad, and Secretary, Chief Wale Adedayo, the group noted that the party was seeking to divert attention from its recent electoral loss.

The statement read in full, “It is rather perplexing that the leaders of the African Democratic Congress who ought to know better than anyone, by virtue of their individual experiences as former government officials, that due constitutional process must be followed in the judicial trials of the two members of their party, would adopt such a pedestrian and disturbing position about the ongoing trials of the duo of El Rufai and Malami on charges of corruption and national security breach.

“The most disheartening fact is that ADC’s allegation of selective justice against their members was devoid of specific evidence that could justify their claims.

“It is indeed, the lack of references to any material particular in their allegations against President Tinubu, that informed the conclusion that the opposition party is obviously pressured by its bleak electoral prospect in the forthcoming presidential polls, to undermine due process in the ongoing judicial trials of El-Rufai and Malami.

“It is outrightly premature and prejudicial for ADC leaders to allege selective justice when in fact, the two men are unconditionally granted full rights and privileges under the Constitution, to establish their innocence regarding the charges against them.

“We believe that the ADC should rather be concerned that one of their party’s chieftains on trial publicly admitted to breaching national security protocols, by tapping into the phone line of Nuhu Ribadu, the National Security Adviser to the President (NSA), a grave offence under the law, and an act unbecoming of a responsible citizen.

“We further note that both Nasiru El Rufai and Abubakar Malami are not prosecuted under dubious circumstances or arrangements that openly violate their constitutional rights as citizens of Nigeria.

“The charges against both men are in the public domain, in addition to the fact that their trials are not conducted in secret so ADC’s narratives of selective justice on the matter are invalid, mischievous and unfounded.

“Similarly, the recent confirmation by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, of the sentencing of a former APC Senator and political supporter of President Tinubu from Akwa-Ibom State Sen. Albert Bassey, to 7 years imprisonment and restitution of N204 million, should be seen by the ADC and the other political interest groups in Nigeria, as a confirmation of the President’s non- interference stance on judicial proceedings and respect for the independence of the Judiciary, which is enshrined in the Constitution.

“It is important to call on the ADC and its leadership to desist from the irresponsible act of spinning false narratives of imaginary political persecution around the ongoing trials in a bid to elicit sympathy from the Nigerian public.

“We also advise the ADC to focus on the uphill task to revamp its damaged image from the crushing electoral blow it received in the recent FCT local council polls.”

The group urged Nigerians to ignore the opposition party’s penchant for diverting attention from its recent electoral loss.