By Ayodele Oni
In what looks like a retaliatory measure, former senator representing Kaduna North, Alhaji Suleiman Hunkuyi, has canvassed for continued detention of ex Kaduna governor, Nasir El-Rufai, until after the 2027 governorship election.
Despite that El-Rufai is being detained on the order of the court, following his arraignment by anti corruption agency for alleged abuse of office among others, Hunkuyi, called on Governor Uba Sani not to release him.
Hunkuyi made the remark in Zaria, while Sani received former officials of the El-Rufai administration and their political associates who had reportedly defected to the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Hunkuyi and El-Rufai were once political associates in the All Progressives Congress (APC) when El-Rufai ran for and won the governorship of Kaduna State in 2015, and Hunkuyi won his seat as the senator representing Kaduna North.
Their alliance broke down over political and governance disagreements—including opposition to El-Rufai’s foreign loan requests and control of the state party structure—leading Hunkuyi and a faction of the APC to suspend El-Rufai in 2018.
In retaliation during their bitter fallout, a property belonging to Hunkuyi used as a factional party secretariat in Kaduna was demolished by the state government under El-Rufai in 2018.
Among those received were El-Rufai’s former Chief of Staff, Alhaji Bashir Saidu, and Jafaru Sani, who served as commissioner for local government affairs, education and environment under the former governor.
The event was attended by the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas; former Kaduna State Governor Ramalan Yero; and other prominent political figures.
Hunkuyi, who represents the North-West in the National Assembly Service Commission (NASC), made the remarks while addressing the gathering, linking El-Rufai’s continued detention to Sani’s political ambitions ahead of the 2027 election.
He began by making an indirect reference to the departure of El-Rufai’s former associates and their families from his political camp.
“All I want to say is just two things, perhaps a little more, because I have been given two minutes.”
He then addressed Saidu, asking about those who had remained in El-Rufai’s camp following the reported defections.
“They have taken away the children and the grandchildren. Let us ask, who did they leave behind—the short person who went with him? Please, for God’s sake… Who was he left with? We need to hear about this robbery.”
Turning to Governor Sani, Hunkuyi invoked religious imagery before urging him to keep El-Rufai in custody until after the next governorship election.
“Almighty God has restrained the devils and chained them up during the month of Ramadan. In which month did you capture my elder brother? Please keep him for us. Hold him firmly and do not release him. Keep him securely.”
“Do not release him. Wait until everything is completed. Until you receive your crown in your hands, then release him to us,” Hunkuyi added.
His reference to the governor receiving his “crown” was understood in the context of Sani’s anticipated re-election bid in 2027.
Hunkuyi ended his remarks by praying for the success of the political alliance and urging the newly aligned political figures to work together towards their shared objectives.
“May Almighty God make it possible, for us to work together for the good, so that this journey we have embarked on will come together and reach its destination successfully,” he said.
The former senator also expressed hope that the alliance would yield political benefits, adding, “Almighty God, may we count our profits, deduct the principal, and set aside the profit.”
El-Rufai, who governed Kaduna State for eight years, presented himself to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) in February 2026 before being transferred to the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).
The anti-corruption agency subsequently investigated him and filed multiple charges relating to his tenure as governor.
The allegations include abuse of office, irregularities in the award of multibillion-naira light rail and closed-circuit television (CCTV) contracts, and the disposal of World Bank loan funds. The allegations remain subject to judicial determination.
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