Breaking: Atiku Reacts as Court Refuses To Review El-Rufai's Bail Conditions

• Atiku Abubakar has warned against weaponising bail for former Kaduna State Governor Mallam Nasir El-Rufai
• The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate raised concerns over bail conditions affecting El-Rufai's constitutional rights
• The former Vice President called for a fair judicial process to protect El-Rufai and other accused individuals in Nigeria

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FCT, Abuja - The 2027 African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has warned that bail must not be a weaponised punishment against former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai.

Atiku expressed grave concern over El-Rufai’s continued detention following the refusal of the Federal High Court to review bail conditions.

The former Vice President warned that the danger of such precedents extends far beyond the person of El-Rufai.

Atiku’s Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication, Phrank Shaibu, made this known in a statement issued and made available to Legit.ng on Wednesday, June 24, 2026.

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He said El-Rufai's continued rise raises troubling questions about the state of constitutional liberties, the justice administration and the growing tendency to weaponise legal processes against political opponents.

The presidential faithful argued that while courts possess the discretionary authority to impose bail conditions, such discretion must be exercised judicially and judiciously.

According to Atiku, bail conditions that are manifestly excessive, unreasonable, or impossible to fulfil defeat the very purpose of bail and amount to detention through procedural means.

“The law is settled that an accused person remains innocent until proven guilty. Bail exists to preserve that constitutional protection. It was never designed to become a sophisticated instrument for punishment before conviction.”

“When a court insists on conditions that require a defendant to produce a serving Grade Level 17 federal civil servant who must also own verifiable property in Maitama or Asokoro and satisfy a maze of additional requirements, Nigerians are entitled to ask a simple question: is the objective to grant bail or to ensure that bail remains unattainable?”

El-Rufai makes major move in court

Recall that El-Rufai indicated his readiness to file a no-case submission after the Department of State Services closed its case against him at the Federal High Court in Abuja on Tuesday, June 23.

El-Rufai faced an amended five-count charge over alleged unlawful interception of communications, following claims he made during a live television interview in February 2026.

Justice Joyce Abdulmalik adjourned the matter until September 22 for the filing of the no-case submission and continuation of proceedings.

Read more stories on El-Rufai:

• ICPC Reacts as El-Rufai Group Hires US Lobbyists to Protest Prosecution
• El-Rufai Allies Engage International Firm Over Ex-Governor's Detention
• El-Rufai's Aide Mentions Ex-Gov Sickness and How DSS Reportedly Refused Him Treatment
• Ex-APC Chieftain Exposes Alleged Plot to Manipulate El-Rufai’s Recordings In Detention

Judiciary under fire over El-Rufai's bail condition

Meanwhile, Legit.ng also reported that Comrade Ibrahim Garba Wala criticised excessive bail conditions imposed on El-Rufai, calling them unreasonably difficult to fulfil.

Concerns arise over the misuse of bail terms, echoing the Nigerian Bar Association's stance on justice system issues.

Wala urges the judiciary to review bail terms to align with constitutional rights and maintain public confidence.