‘Keep El-Rufai Behind Bars Until You Win 2027 Election,’ Hunkuyi Tells Uba Sani

‘Keep El-Rufai Behind Bars Until You Win 2027 Election,’ Hunkuyi Tells Uba Sani

**Former Kaduna senator’s alleged remark raises questions over political rivalry, rule of law and the battle for power ahead of 2027.

A former senator representing Kaduna North, Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi, has reportedly challenged Governor Uba Sani to keep former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai in detention until after the 2027 general elections.

The alleged remark, captured in the headline circulating about Hunkuyi’s position, raises fresh questions about the intersection of political rivalry, the ongoing legal proceedings involving El-Rufai and the struggle for political advantage ahead of the next election.

El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023, is facing criminal proceedings involving allegations of corruption and other offences. He has also been prosecuted in a separate case relating to alleged wiretapping.

The allegations remain subject to judicial determination, and the former governor is entitled to the presumption of innocence under the law.

EL-RUFAI'S DETENTION BECOMES POLITICAL FLASHPOINT

The former governor’s continued detention has generated controversy, with opposition figures alleging that the legal proceedings against him are being used to weaken political opponents ahead of the 2027 elections.

In July 2026, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) accused the Federal Government of deliberately prolonging El-Rufai’s detention to limit his political influence before the elections. The government’s alleged political motive, however, remains a contested claim rather than an established fact.

The reported statement attributed to Hunkuyi could further intensify the debate over whether El-Rufai’s detention is being viewed through a political lens rather than solely through the judicial process.

However, the exact circumstances, context and full wording of Hunkuyi’s alleged statement require confirmation before a definitive account of his position can be established.

2027 POWER STRUGGLE

The controversy comes as political alignments continue to shift in Kaduna State ahead of the 2027 governorship election.

Governor Uba Sani, who succeeded El-Rufai in May 2023, is preparing for a politically consequential contest, while the former governor’s continuing legal battles have become a subject of debate among politicians and opposition groups.

In September 2026, reports emerged that some former allies of El-Rufai had returned to the All Progressives Congress and declared support for Uba Sani’s second-term ambition, underscoring the shifting alliances surrounding the state’s political future.

The central question is whether the legal process involving El-Rufai will proceed independently of political calculations or become an increasingly prominent weapon in the contest for power.

In a democracy governed by the rule of law, criminal allegations must be determined by competent courts, not by political interests or electoral calculations.

The Analyst will continue to follow developments surrounding El-Rufai’s legal battles and the unfolding political contest in Kaduna State.