Ibe made the allegation in a post on X, where he claimed that El-Rufai had spent 178 days in detention. He accused the Tinubu administration of using legal proceedings to pressure the former governor following his change in political alignment and his growing association with the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
Ibe also questioned what he described as differences in the way corruption cases involving political figures are handled in Nigeria.
He argued that while El-Rufai remains in custody, some other politicians and public officials facing allegations of corruption continue to carry out their activities freely.
However, Ibe’s claim that El-Rufai’s detention is politically motivated remains an allegation and has not been established by a court.
El-Rufai is facing legal proceedings over allegations brought by government agencies, including accusations relating to corruption, abuse of office and other offences.
The former governor has denied wrongdoing and has challenged aspects of the cases against him.
Anti-corruption authorities have maintained that the proceedings against El-Rufai are based on investigations and court orders, rather than his political activities.
The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has previously said that its actions concerning El-Rufai are part of lawful investigations and that his detention has been authorised through the courts.
The commission has also defended the handling of the cases and urged the public to rely on court records and official information rather than unverified claims circulating on social media.
The controversy surrounding El-Rufai has nevertheless taken on a political dimension because of his current relationship with the ADC and his opposition to the ruling APC.
El-Rufai was previously a prominent member of the All Progressives Congress and served as governor of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023.
In recent months, he has become associated with opposition efforts ahead of Nigeria’s 2027 general elections.
Paul Ibe’s latest comments therefore come at a time when political parties and opposition groups are already positioning themselves ahead of the next presidential election.
The former governor’s legal situation has consequently attracted attention from both political actors and civil society organisations.
Supporters of El-Rufai have raised concerns about the length of his detention and have called for due process.
Government agencies, however, maintain that the former governor must answer the allegations brought against him through the appropriate legal process.
The important distinction is that allegations of political motivation remain separate from the corruption and other criminal allegations contained in the cases against El-Rufai.
There is currently no established court finding that his detention was ordered because he changed his political position or fell out with President Tinubu.
Similarly, the existence of political disagreements between El-Rufai and members of the current administration does not by itself establish that his prosecution is politically motivated.
The legal proceedings will ultimately determine the allegations against the former governor.
For now, Paul Ibe’s statement has added another layer to an already politically sensitive case, with opposition figures questioning the circumstances of El-Rufai’s detention and government authorities insisting that the matter is being handled through the judicial process.
The case remains ongoing, and El-Rufai is presumed innocent of the criminal allegations until proven guilty by a competent court.
As Nigeria moves towards the 2027 elections, the former governor’s legal battle and his political activities are expected to remain subjects of public and political debate.
