The wife of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, Asiya El-Rufai, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to ensure her husband is treated fairly while facing criminal prosecution, saying the family's support for Tinubu's presidency entitles them to basic courtesy from his administration.
Speaking on ARISE NEWS on Wednesday, Asiya, a lawyer, said the family was not asking Tinubu to halt the judicial process against her husband but wanted assurance that his constitutional rights would be respected.
"I know what we went through. My husband supported President Tinubu because he's an honourable man. He fought everyone, he even fought President Buhari... So yes, I brought it up because it is normal to expect basic courtesy from somebody that you've done so much for. I personally went and campaigned for him," she said.
While acknowledging that the President lacks the power to interfere in judicial proceedings, Asiya insisted Tinubu could direct relevant agencies to act lawfully.
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"The President may not have the power to stop anything, but he has the power to tell them to do the right thing," she said.
She listed the family's demands as access to adequate medical care, legal representation, family visits, and bail on reasonable terms.
Questioning why El-Rufai had repeatedly been denied bail despite previously being granted bail on self-recognition by the EFCC and faithfully honouring his court appearances, she said she could not understand the reluctance to grant him bail this time, hinting at possible political undertones and noting that prosecutors had cast him as a flight risk.
On his health, Asiya said El-Rufai, who suffers from glaucoma, had been taken to eye clinics but denied access to his longtime physician, Professor Bello, who has since been arrested. She described this as the "weaponising" of healthcare, warning it could deter medical professionals from offering independent opinions.
She also dismissed claims that a recent hospital visit by her husband was used to hold political meetings, saying he only interacted with people who approached him in a public reception area after his consultation.
Asiya urged the government to uphold due process, warning that eroding public confidence in the rule of law could breed anarchy.
She further rejected suggestions that El-Rufai poses a political threat, arguing that democracy should accommodate competition rather than suppress it. "Why don't they let him go and see whether he's actually a threat or not?" she asked.
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