Dare Babalola
Former media aide to the late ex-President Muhammadu Buhari, Lauretta Onochie, has called on the Federal Government to release former Kaduna State Governor and African Democratic Congress (ADC) chieftain, Nasir El-Rufai, from detention.
She insisted that opposition voices must be protected in a democracy.
Onochie, in a post on her X handle on Tuesday, said El-Rufai’s continued detention “under questionable circumstances” has heightened public concerns that state institutions may be used to target political opponents.
She argued that political disagreement should be addressed through democratic engagement rather than incarceration, stressing that Nigeria’s democracy is being tested by how dissenting voices are treated.
“In every democracy, opposition voices must be challenged with ideas, not silenced with prison walls. When political participation becomes grounds for persecution, democracy itself is placed on trial,” she wrote.
According to her, El-Rufai has remained in custody for months over allegations that, in the view of many Nigerians, appear politically motivated.
She further alleged that there are growing concerns over reports suggesting that his release may be tied to political conditions, including pressure to return to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) or withdraw from active politics.
“That is not justice. That is coercion. That is political intimidation dressed up as due process,” she stated.
Onochie maintained that the right to political association and participation is guaranteed under Nigeria’s constitutional democracy, adding that no citizen should be compelled to abandon political beliefs in exchange for freedom.
She called for El-Rufai’s immediate release or, alternatively, his release on bail pending the determination of any charges against him in court.
“If there is a credible case against him, let it be heard openly, fairly, and speedily before a competent court. But continued detention under questionable circumstances only deepens public suspicion that the machinery of state is being weaponised against opposition figures,” she added.
Onochie warned that suppressing opposition voices could have long-term consequences for Nigeria’s democracy, saying dissent is essential for accountability and democratic stability.
“This is bigger than Nasir El-Rufai. It is about the soul of Nigerian democracy. It is about whether citizens are still free to disagree, contest power, and speak without fear,” she wrote.
“A democracy that jails opposition voices today may have no opposition left tomorrow. A nation without opposition is a nation under dictatorship,” she added.
