El-Rufai's wife asks Tinubu: 'Is this what our family deserves after campaigning for you?'

Hajiya Asiya El-Rufai, wife of former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, has publicly appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to ensure her husband receives basic constitutional rights while facing prosecution by the ICPC. She spoke to journalists in Abuja on Tuesday, and her words carry the weight of a woman who feels betrayed by the very system she helped put in place.

Asiya reminded Tinubu directly: 'Mr. President, I campaigned for you across Kaduna State. My husband stood by your side. Is this what our family deserves?' She is not asking the president to stop the legal case. She is only asking that El-Rufai, who she says is being treated for High Blood Pressure and high blood sugar, be allowed proper medical care, access to his lawyers, family visits, and bail on reasonable terms. The ICPC confirmed the arrest of his personal physician, Prof. Bello Abubakar, on Tuesday, and the family alleges the doctor has been denied access to his patient.

This is a painful reminder that in Nigeria, political alliances often mean nothing once power is secured. A man who was once a key ally of the president is now in custody, and his family is traumatised. Asiya said, 'We live in constant fear that we will wake up and hear some bad news.' If the court finds him guilty, let justice run its course. But if the law says he qualifies for bail, who are we to deny him? The question is: can a fair trial even happen when a man cannot see his lawyers or his doctor?