Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has criticised the bail conditions imposed on former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, arguing that the requirements are excessively difficult to meet and risk undermining constitutional protections. Speaking through his media aide, Atiku warned that the situation raises broader concerns about the administration of justice and the treatment of opposition figures in Nigeria.
The controversy follows the refusal of the Federal High Court to review the bail conditions earlier granted to El-Rufai, who is currently facing criminal charges. The former governor was granted bail under conditions that include providing a serving Grade Level 17 federal civil servant as surety, alongside property-related requirements and other obligations. The court’s decision has generated debate among political stakeholders and legal observers regarding the balance between judicial discretion and constitutional rights.
Commenting on the development, Atiku said the purpose of bail is to preserve the constitutional principle that every accused person remains innocent until proven guilty. The former vice president argued that while courts possess the authority to determine bail conditions, such powers should be exercised reasonably and within the spirit of the law. According to him, the current El-Rufai Bail Conditions appear excessively restrictive and could amount to a denial of liberty through procedural means.
“The law is settled that an accused person remains innocent until proven guilty. Bail exists to preserve that constitutional protection. It was never designed to become a sophisticated instrument for punishment before conviction,” he stated. Atiku specifically questioned the practicality of requiring a serving Grade Level 17 federal civil servant who also owns verifiable property in high-value areas such as Maitama or Asokoro, alongside other conditions.
The ADC presidential candidate said the implications of the case extend beyond El-Rufai as an individual. He warned that the precedent created by such judicial decisions could affect any Nigerian citizen whose freedom depends on meeting conditions that may be difficult or impossible to satisfy. Atiku further expressed concern about what he described as a growing pattern in which opposition politicians and government critics become entangled in legal and administrative challenges.
He maintained that confidence in democratic institutions depends on the public perception that justice remains fair, impartial and accessible to all citizens. The El-Rufai Bail Conditions, he argued, have renewed discussions about whether constitutional safeguards are being fully protected within Nigeria’s justice system.
Atiku urged the judiciary to avoid actions that could create the impression that justice exists only in theory while remaining unattainable in practice.
He stressed that bail should serve the limited purpose of ensuring a defendant’s appearance in court rather than functioning as a mechanism for continued detention. According to him, imposing conditions that effectively prevent release despite a grant of bail weakens the constitutional principles of liberty, fair hearing and the presumption of innocence.
As debate continues over the El-Rufai Bail Conditions, Atiku has called for greater attention to the protection of constitutional rights and judicial fairness. He maintained that Nigeria’s democracy is strengthened when justice remains independent of political considerations and accessible to every citizen, regardless of status or affiliation.
