Former Senator representing Kaduna North Senatorial District, Alhaji Suleiman Hunkuyi, has urged Governor Uba Sani to keep his predecessor, Malam Nasir El-Rufai, incarcerated until after he secures victory in the 2027 governorship election.
Hunkuyi made the stunning remark at a political gathering in Zaria where former allies of the embattled ex-governor defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress.
The political jab from Hunkuyi to Sani has exposed the depth of the political rupture in Kaduna State and raised uncomfortable questions about the use of anti-corruption agencies for political purposes.
THE REMARK
Hunkuyi, who currently serves as the National Assembly Service Commission commissioner representing the North-West, addressed Governor Sani on Saturday during an event where former senior officials and political allies of El-Rufai were received into the APC.
Speaking in a speech he said had to be delivered within two minutes, Hunkuyi made a cryptic reference to the departure of El-Rufai’s political associates before turning to the governor.
“Almighty God has restrained the devils and chained them up during the month of Ramadan,” Hunkuyi said. “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.”
He added: “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 receiving the “crown” was interpreted as a direct reference to the governor’s anticipated re-election bid in 2027.
THE DEFECTIONS
The event marked a significant political realignment in Kaduna State.
Among those received into the APC were Alhaji Bashir Saidu, El-Rufai’s former Chief of Staff, and Jafaru Sani, who served as Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Education and Environment under the former governor.
The reception was attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; former Kaduna State Governor Ramalan Yero; and other prominent political figures.
EL-RUFAI’S ORDEAL
El-Rufai, a founding member of the APC who served as Kaduna governor from 2015 to 2023, has been in custody since February 2026.
He presented himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission before being transferred to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission.
The ICPC has filed multiple charges against him relating to his eight-year tenure, including allegations of abuse of office, fraudulent light rail and CCTV contract awards running into billions of naira, and the disposal of World Bank loan funds.
While in custody, El-Rufai and his legal team invoked their constitutional right to silence, stating they would only answer to the allegations before a judicial tribunal rather than during administrative interrogations.
El-Rufai had supported Tinubu’s 2023 presidential bid but later defected to the opposition African Democratic Congress and became a vocal critic of the federal government.
WHY IT MATTERS
Hunkuyi’s remark is extraordinary for its candour. He did not disguise his request as a call for justice or due process. He explicitly linked El-Rufai’s continued detention to Governor Sani’s political survival.
The implication is unmistakable: El-Rufai, a political rival, should be kept behind bars until the election is won.This is not a subtle allegation of political interference. It is a public admission of it.
For the ICPC, the remark raises serious questions about whether its investigation of El-Rufai is being used as a tool in a political feud.
For Governor Sani, it places him in an awkward position: does he distance himself from Hunkuyi’s remarks, or does he accept them as the sentiment of his political camp?
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For El-Rufai, the message is clear. His former allies have abandoned him. His successor’s supporters want him to remain in custody.
And the 2027 election, they believe, will determine when—and whether—he is released.
ValidViewNetwork reports that El-Rufai remains in ICPC custody. The charges against him have not been judicially determined.