Fresh Twist In ICPC Case As El-Rufai Supporters Seek US Legal Backing

A support group backing former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has engaged a United States-based advocacy firm to mount an international campaign concerning his ongoing prosecution by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC).....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The group, known as the El-Rufai Support Group Association, said it has appointed Vanguard Africa, a Washington DC-based organisation, to interface with policymakers, democracy advocates, and international stakeholders on issues surrounding the former governor’s trial.

This was disclosed in a statement on Wednesday by the group’s Director of Strategic Partnership, Mohammed Salihu.

The association expressed concern over what it described as El-Rufai’s prolonged detention and delays in the judicial process, arguing that the situation raises broader questions about due process and the independence of state institutions.

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

He further stated that the international community has a responsibility to speak out where due process is allegedly being compromised for political reasons.

The group said its planned advocacy effort would involve engagement with officials of the United States government, members of Congress, pro-democracy organisations, and international bodies.

It maintained that El-Rufai is innocent of the allegations against him, describing the case as a critical test of Nigeria’s commitment to the rule of law ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The association also called on foreign governments, civil society groups, and democratic institutions to closely monitor developments in the case and support efforts aimed at safeguarding judicial independence and democratic freedoms in Nigeria.

El-Rufai has been in the custody of the ICPC since February over allegations of financial misconduct linked to his tenure as governor of Kaduna State.

He was indicted by the Kaduna State House of Assembly in 2024 over the alleged diversion of ₦423 billion in public funds and money laundering allegations and was later arraigned before a Kaduna High Court on a revised nine-count charge bordering on fraud and abuse of office.

The ICPC has denied allegations of rights violations, insisting that its actions are in line with the law.