Peter Obi Blasts APC Over Arrest of El-Rufai and Malami

The political atmosphere in Nigeria just hit a boiling point.

Former Labour Party presidential candidate Peter Obi has officially broken his silence on the recent wave of high-profile arrests, delivering a scathing rebuke to the APC-led federal government. In a fiery statement released Monday, Obi accused the administration of transforming the nation’s justice system into a “political weapon” aimed at crushing dissent ahead of the 2027 general elections.

At the heart of Obi’s outcry is the detention of two political heavyweights who have recently pivoted toward the opposition:

Obi didn’t hold back, describing the treatment of El-Rufai as a desperate “fishing expedition.” He pointed to the “worrisome” cycle of El-Rufai being shuffled between the EFCC, ICPC, and DSS as evidence that the government is simply hunting for any charge that will stick to keep a powerful critic behind bars.

“The undue denial of bail or unjustly stringent conditions leave little doubt that the government is wielding criminal prosecution as a weapon,” Obi stated.

Obi noted that the timing of these arrests is far from coincidental. Both Malami and El-Rufai (key figures in the African Democracy Congress, ADC) have been vocal about their mission to vote the current administration out in 2027.

According to Obi, the government is hiding behind the “pretense of battling corruption” to dismantle the opposition. While he clarified that he supports the fight against graft, he insisted it must start with those currently in power rather than targeting those who challenge them.

This statement marks a significant shift in the opposition’s strategy, as leaders across different party lines begin to unify against what they perceive as “authoritarian” overreach. Obi’s message was clear: Nigeria needs a justice system that instills confidence, not fear.

“No one should fear persecution for their political beliefs,” Obi concluded, signaling that the battle for the soul of the next election has already begun—not at the ballot box, but in the courtrooms.