Kenneth Okonkwo has claimed that President Bola Tinubu is singling out former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai due to his defection to the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Okonkwo made the remarks on Friday during an appearance on The Morning Brief, a programme aired on Channels Television, while discussing El-Rufai’s detention.
The Nollywood veteran-turned-politician emphasised that the Federal Government does not have the authority to detain anyone beyond 48 hours without due process.
“We believe that El-Rufai is being maltreated and persecuted because he had joined the ADC. We are not exculpating anybody, but it is the court of law that should decide, not President Tinubu,” Okonkwo said.
He accused the President of using his powers as Commander-in-Chief to weaponise anti-corruption agencies against opposition figures. “I wonder whether there is any commission fighting corruption in Tinubu’s regime. The first thing President Bola Tinubu should do is to release El-Rufai. We are not saying he should not face trial, but his fundamental human rights should be guaranteed,” Okonkwo added.
Okonkwo also stressed that 48 hours is the maximum period anyone can be held in detention without bail, citing Supreme Court rulings. He noted, “No, you don’t have that power… The whole idea of arrest is that you have concluded your investigation and found the person culpable for any crime you are alleging. Somebody saying anything does not give you the right to arrest someone. In criminal proceedings, it is the duty of the prosecution to prove the guilt of the suspect, not the suspect to defend his innocence.”