Founder of Stanbic IBTC Bank and the ANAP Foundation, Atedo Peterside, has criticised the continued detention of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing it as a violation of the Nigerian Constitution.
Peterside faulted the roles played by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the Department of State Services (DSS), and the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), accusing the agencies of working together in a manner that undermines the rule of law.
He made his position known on Sunday in a post on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating that many observers had watched the development “in disbelief.”
Peterside acknowledged that he had previously disagreed with El-Rufai during his time as governor, particularly over the 2019 detention of Ibrahim El-Zakzaky, leader of the Islamic Movement of Nigeria. However, he said that past disagreements should not prevent him from speaking against what he now considers an injustice.
According to him, “Even though I disagreed with El-Rufai as Kaduna State Governor over El-Zakzaky’s 2019 detention, I will still speak out against those ill-treating him today. Two wrongs do not make a right.”
Peterside further stressed that his position was guided by principle rather than political loyalty. He noted that he had in the past spoken out against the detention of other prominent Nigerians, including M. K. O. Abiola, former President
Peterside Condemns Continued Detention of El-Rufai Without Trial
