Former Senator representing Kaduna North, Alhaji Suleiman Hunkuyi, has urged Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani to ensure his predecessor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, remains in custody until after the 2027 governorship election.
According to *Sahara Reporters*, Hunkuyi made the remarks on Saturday in Zaria as Governor Sani received former senior officials and political allies of El-Rufai who had defected from the former governor’s camp to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Among those received were Alhaji Bashir Saidu, El-Rufai’s former Chief of Staff, and Jafaru Sani, who previously served as Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Education, and Environment. Bashir Saidu also served as Commissioner for Finance during the El-Rufai administration.
The reception drew several prominent political figures, including House of Representatives Speaker Tajudeen Abbas and former Kaduna State Governor Ramalan Yero.
Hunkuyi, who currently serves as the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC) commissioner representing the North-West, addressed Governor Sani during the event. His remarks appeared to link El-Rufai’s continued detention to the governor’s political ambitions ahead of the 2027 polls.
Speaking in a brief address constrained by a two-minute time limit, Hunkuyi first made a cryptic reference to the departure of El-Rufai’s political associates and their families.
“All I want to say is just two things, perhaps a little more, because I have been given two minutes,” he said.
“Then Malam Bashir should take note. They have taken away the children and the grandchildren. Let us ask, who did they leave behind—the short person who went with him? Please, for God’s sake… Who was he left with? We need to hear about this robbery.”
Turning to the governor, Hunkuyi added: “Secondly, Your Excellency, the Governor. Almighty God has restrained the devils and chained them up during the month of Ramadan. In which month did you capture my elder brother? Please keep him for us. Hold him firmly and do not release him. Keep him securely… Do not release him. Wait until everything is completed. Until you receive your crown in your hands, then release him to us.”
His reference to the “crown” was widely interpreted as alluding to Governor Sani’s anticipated bid for re-election in 2027.
Hunkuyi concluded by praying for the success of the new political alliance, urging stakeholders to work together toward a common objective.
“May Almighty God make it possible for us to work together for the good, so that this journey we have embarked on will come together and reach its destination successfully,” he added.
El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC, served as Governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023 and initially maintained a close political alliance with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, actively campaigning for his 2023 election victory.
However, following a stalled ministerial nomination due to security clearances, El-Rufai gradually distanced himself from the federal administration. By late 2025, he formally defected from the APC to the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), frequently criticizing the federal government.
In February 2026, El-Rufai reported to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) before being transferred to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The ICPC has since filed multiple charges against the former governor regarding his eight-year tenure. The allegations include abuse of office, fraudulent awards for light rail and CCTV contracts running into billions of naira, and the alleged mishandling of World Bank loan funds.
While in custody, El-Rufai and his legal team have invoked their constitutional right to silence, stating they will only address the allegations before a judicial tribunal rather than during administrative interrogations.
Meanwhile, the ADC and El-Rufai’s family have publicly accused the federal government of weaponizing anti-corruption agencies for political intimidation and prolonged detention ahead of the 2027 general elections—an allegation dismissed by the ruling party and authorities, who maintain that due legal process is being followed.
