Breaking: El-Rufai's Wife Writes Tinubu, "We Are Traumatised"
- Former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai's wife, Hajiya Asiya El-Rufai, called for leniency from President Bola Tinubu in the handling of her husband's matter
- The ex-Kaduna first lady, in an emotional appeal to the president, maintained that the family had been traumatised by the legal dilemma of the former governor
- El-Rufai's wife told President Tinubu that her husband did not deserve the maltreatment he was going through, considering his contribution to Tinubu's victory in the 2023 general elections
The wife of former Kaduna state governor, Hajiya Asiya El-Rufai, on Tuesday evening, July 7, made an emotional appeal to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
She reminded him of the support she and her husband gave him in the 2023 presidential campaign leading to his victory while pleading for what she described as fair treatment for the detained former governor.
Hajia Asiya, who was flanked by El-Rufai’s other wife, Aichatou, was reacting to the arrest of her husband's personal physician, Prof Bello Abubakar, as confirmed by the ICPC on Tuesday.
Source: Twitter
In a statement sent to Legit.ng on Tuesday, July 7, the wife also alleged that her husband, who she said was diagnosed with high blood pressure and high blood sugar levels, was denied access to medical treatment.
Speaking with newsmen at her residence in Abuja, Asiya El-Rufai said the family was not asking the president to interfere with the judicial process or halt the prosecution of El-Rufai, but to ensure that he enjoys the constitutional rights available to every Nigerian, including access to medical care, family members, lawyers and bail on reasonable terms.
In an emotional message directed at President Tinubu, she recalled the sacrifices she and her husband made for the president during the 2023 electioneering campaign.
ICPC arrests El-Rufai's personal doctor
Earlier in the day, the operatives of the ICPC reportedly arrested Professor Bello Abubakar, the personal doctor to former governor El-Rufai. Abubakar was arrested for allegedly misleading the ICPC to believe that El-Rufai was being attended to at the National Hospital in Abuja.
However, it was alleged that the ICPC discovered that El-Rufai was holding a meeting with the Kaduna governorship candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the 2027 election, Isa Ashiru Kudan.
Nigerians react as ICPC arrests El-Rufai's doctor
The development has started generating mixed reactions from Nigerians. Below are some of their comments:
Adedeji explained the grounds on which the ICPC should take action on the doctor:
"If it's done on the hospital premises, the arrangement is valid and no arrest should take place but otherwise, the commission did the needful."
Source: UGC
Oluwatigbemiga criticised El-Rufai's team:
"These people are funny. You think a high-profile accused person like Mallam will be released for medicals and will not be trailed."
Gredenko urged El-Rufai to make peace with the presidency:
"El-Rufai's problems keep growing stronger and stronger. He better make peace with Aso rock so that they can drop the charges against him, otherwise he's not coming out until next year, at least."
Alhausawiy criticised the former governor:
"El-Rufai, with his politically metastatic prostate cancer, turned a hospital visit into a political meeting while under security custody. The man is still yet to get sense."
Read more comments on El-Rufai's personal doctor's arrest on X below:
Court takes action on El-Rufai’s 3rd bail application
Meanwhile, Legit.ng earlier reported that a Kaduna High Court dismissed El-Rufai's third bail application on Monday, June 29, 2026.
The ICPC presented evidence showing the National Hospital, Abuja, disowned the medical report El-Rufai submitted to support his application.
Judge Darius Khobo ordered the ICPC to grant El-Rufai access to personal physicians and any diagnostic facility of his choice in Nigeria.
Proofreading by Funmilayo Aremu, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
