Dele Momodu, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has defended the inclusion of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in the party’s presidential campaign council.
El-Rufai was named Deputy Chairman of the ADC campaign council despite being in detention, a development that has drawn questions over his role in the opposition party’s campaign structure.
Speaking on Channels Television’s Morning Brief on Friday, Momodu said the appointment was intended to recognise what he described as El-Rufai’s political sacrifice.
“It is a way of honouring his sacrifice because his travails, I can say, are quite political in nature,” Momodu said.
“But I am very happy that ADC found it necessary to put him on that list.”
Momodu calls El-Rufai ‘prisoner of conscience’
Momodu described El-Rufai as a “prisoner of conscience” and alleged that his detention was politically motivated.
“That is why Nasiru has become a prisoner of conscience.”
He also argued that El-Rufai’s current situation should be considered alongside his previous political contributions, including his role in the political process that brought President Bola Tinubu to power.
“He is in the hands of a government that he helped to midwife.”
Momodu said El-Rufai could have remained outside Nigeria but chose to return despite knowing he could face arrest.
“He could have stayed away from the country. He chose to come back to the country. He knew he was going to be arrested, and he was arrested,” he said.
‘Formidable’ Northern political figure
Momodu maintained that El-Rufai remains an influential political figure in Northern Nigeria, particularly the Northwest, despite controversies surrounding his tenure as Kaduna governor.
“Our attitude [is] that no human being, no soul, is perfect, but Malam Nasiru El-Rufai remains one of the most formidable political figures from Northern Nigeria, especially the Northwest,” he said.
Addressing concerns that El-Rufai’s inclusion could become a liability for the ADC, Momodu recalled the former governor’s support for Tinubu during the 2023 presidential campaign.
“Nearly four years ago or less, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai was busy campaigning for Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. So was he not in government then? Did they find him divisive at the time?”
Momodu also stressed the electoral importance of the Northwest to presidential campaigns.
“Every presidential candidate wants to win in the Northwest, because without the Northwest, there is no way you can win the election. The majority of the votes will come from that direction,” he said.
He added that the ADC’s decision to appoint El-Rufai remained significant regardless of whether he could participate directly in campaign activities.
“What he has done is to at least dignify the man with an appointment. Whether he is able to attend to it or not is immaterial,” Momodu said.
