JUST IN: El-Rufai Supporters Hire US Lobby Firm Over ICPC Prosecution

Supporters of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, have engaged a United States-based lobbying and advocacy firm to raise concerns about his ongoing prosecution by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).

The El-Rufai Support Group Association (ERSGA) announced on Wednesday that it had retained Vanguard Africa, an international advocacy organisation headquartered in Washington, D.C., to spearhead engagements with key stakeholders in the United States and the wider international community.

According to the group, the move is aimed at drawing attention to what it described as growing concerns over the rule of law, due process and the state of democratic institutions in Nigeria.

ERSGA said Vanguard Africa would coordinate outreach efforts to officials within the U.S. administration, members of Congress, government agencies, pro-democracy organisations and multilateral institutions. The association noted that the arrangement was reflected in a regulatory filing published in the United States.

The group linked the campaign to the legal troubles facing El-Rufai, who is currently standing trial over allegations of abuse of office, financial misconduct and fraud during his time as governor of Kaduna State.

Defending the former governor, ERSGA maintained that the allegations against him lack merit and insisted that he remains innocent of the charges.

“Vanguard Africa will plan and execute outreach to U.S. Administration officials, Congress, relevant bureaus and agencies, prodemocracy institutions, and multilateral stakeholders on behalf of ERSGA, among other activities in the United States.

“Nasir El-Rufai is an accomplished reformer and senior statesman with decades of public service. According to media reports, since mid-February he has been detained by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, while courts have repeatedly delayed bail hearings.

“ERSGA categorically rejects the ICPC accusations and maintains El-Rufai’s innocence, pointing to a series of alarming procedural irregularities.

“The treatment of Governor El-Rufai is not an isolated incident — it is a symptom of a deeper crisis threatening Nigeria’s democratic institutions,” the statement partly read.

Speaking on behalf of the association, Mohammed Salihu said the former governor’s case has become a broader test of the strength and independence of democratic institutions in the country.

“The treatment of Governor El-Rufai is not an isolated incident — it is a symptom of a deeper crisis threatening Nigeria’s democratic institutions,” Salihu said.

“We are bringing these concerns to Washington because the international community has both the standing and the responsibility to speak plainly when due process is weaponized for political ends.”

ERSGA argued that developments surrounding the case could have implications beyond El-Rufai himself, particularly as political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections continue to gather momentum.

The association warned that the use of legal processes against opposition figures could raise questions about the fairness of the democratic environment and the ability of political actors to compete on equal terms.

It called on the United States government, international democratic bodies and civil society organisations to keep a close watch on political and judicial developments in Nigeria.

The group also urged foreign partners and democracy advocates to defend the principles of judicial independence, due process and the protection of democratic freedoms.

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