Supporters of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai have escalated their campaign against his continued detention by taking the battle to Washington, engaging a United States-based advocacy firm to press Nigeria’s case before the White House, Congress and international democratic institutions.
The El-Rufai Support Group Association (ERSGA) announced on Wednesday that it had retained Vanguard Africa, a Washington DC-based international advocacy organisation, to lead a coordinated campaign highlighting what it described as a worsening rule of law crisis and abuse of due process in Nigeria.
The move marks a significant internationalisation of the controversy surrounding El-Rufai’s detention by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), with his supporters portraying the case as a critical test of Nigeria’s democratic credentials ahead of the 2027 general elections.
According to details contained in a regulatory filing with the United States Department of State, Vanguard Africa has been engaged to undertake outreach to officials of the US Administration, members of Congress, federal agencies, pro-democracy institutions and multilateral stakeholders on behalf of the association.
ERSGA maintained that the former governor, who served as Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and later governed Kaduna State for eight years, is being subjected to unjust treatment and prolonged detention.
“The treatment of Governor El-Rufai is not an isolated incident — it is a symptom of a deeper crisis threatening Nigeria’s democratic institutions,” Mohammed Salihu, speaking on behalf of the association, said in a statement.
“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.”
The group alleged that repeated delays in court proceedings and bail hearings have raised serious concerns about judicial independence and the integrity of legal processes in the country.
Framing the matter as more than a personal legal battle, ERSGA argued that the case has broader implications for democratic competition and political pluralism in Nigeria, particularly as political alignments ahead of the 2027 elections begin to take shape.
The association warned that the use of legal institutions to sideline opposition figures could undermine public confidence in the electoral process and weaken democratic governance.
Vanguard Africa, which has previously advocated for pro-democracy actors across Africa, including Gambian President Adama Barrow, Niger’s ousted President Mohamed Bazoum and Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine, is expected to spearhead engagement with key international stakeholders on the matter.
Meanwhile, the ICPC has defended the detention and prosecution of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, insisting that its actions are guided strictly by the law and not politics.
The commission’s reaction followed the announcement by the El-Rufai Support Group Association that it had engaged Vanguard Africa, a Washington DC-based international advocacy firm, to lead a campaign highlighting what it described as the erosion of the rule of law and abuse of due process in Nigeria.
Speaking with newsmen on Wednesday, the ICPC spokesman, John Odey, said the commission was not disturbed by the group’s decision to seek international support.
He said, “We are not moved. We operate within the confines of the law. The ICPC is not moved at all.
“We operate within the confines of the law and will continue to carry out our functions within the confines of the law. We are not detaining him on our own. We are following lawful orders.
“He is in our custody by court remand. So, we don’t have any issues with that.
It’s a free world, it’s a free society, but people must operate within the confines of the law.”
Odey also dismissed claims that the anti-corruption agency was being used for political purposes.
“No, we are not political. The ICPC is not political. It has never been and never will be. The ICPC is an anti-corruption law enforcement agency. We have an Act that guides our operations.
“If there are infractions that fall within our Act and we charge you to court, it doesn’t matter whether you are a clerk in a government agency, a private contractor who has contravened the laws, or a political figure. It is immaterial.
“We do not politicise our issues, nor do we prosecute on the basis of political affiliations. The ICPC is not a political party and does not have any political affiliations,” he said.
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