Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has urged President Bola Tinubu to instruct the ICPC to release former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai. Atiku argues that since the President successfully directed the EFCC to unfreeze Osun State government funds, he cannot claim he lacks the authority to intervene in other agency investigations.
Speaking through his aide, Phrank Shaibu, the ADC presidential candidate claimed the recent intervention in Osun proves that anti-corruption agencies do not operate with the independence the administration often suggests. Atiku emphasized that the President cannot claim to be powerless regarding the ICPC while simultaneously issuing operational commands to the EFCC.
Atiku further criticized the government for providing inconsistent explanations regarding the Osun account freeze. He questioned why the EFCC omitted details about a court order if one existed, noting that the public is being fed conflicting accounts. He concluded that true institutional autonomy should not be sacrificed for political convenience, calling on the President to maintain consistency rather than using executive power only when it suits his agenda.
