{
  "id": 10233569,
  "title": "2027: El-Rufai political prisoner, release him if he poses no threat – Atiku’s aide to Tinubu",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/2027-el-rufai-political-prisoner-release-him-if-he-poses-no-threat",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-09-27T14:58:39.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Post Nigeria",
    "slug": "daily-post-nigeria",
    "url": "https://dailypost.ng/2026/09/27/2027-el-rufai-political-prisoner-release-him-if-he-poses-no-threat-atikus-aide-to-tinubu/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Phrank Shaibu, a senior official in the African Democratic Congress presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar's campaign, has called for the release of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, who is being held as a political prisoner. Shaibu urged President Bola Tinubu to free El-Rufai if he poses no threat during the 2027 election. The controversy began in February 2026 when El-Rufai was arrested by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) for alleged corruption during his time as governor from 2015 to 2023. El-Rufai faced multiple charges, including fraud, contract fraud, cybercrime, and phone-tapping allegations against the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. In May 2026, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted El-Rufai bail of N100 million, but the court imposed extremely strict conditions on his release. Shaibu criticized these conditions as \"impossible,\" stating that El-Rufai should be released as a political prisoner of conscience.",
  "summary": "Phrank Shaibu, the Senior Special Assistant on Public Communication to the African Democratic Congress, ADC, presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar has described the former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai as a political prisoner of conscience. Shaibu charged President Bola Tinubu to release El-Rufai if he poses no threat to him in the 2027 election. He made […] 2027: El-Rufai political…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Daily Post Nigeria",
        "title": "I never questioned Tinubu over political decisions unfavourable to me – Gbajabiamila",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/i-never-questioned-tinubu-over-political-decisions-unfavourable-to-me",
        "published": "2026-09-27T15:10:09.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Punch Nigeria",
        "title": "Atiku urges Tinubu to raise N70,000 wage, vows hike from day one",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/atiku-urges-tinubu-to-raise-n70-000-wage-vows-hike-from-day-one",
        "published": "2026-09-27T17:18:52.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}