El Rufai Backers Hire U.S. Lobbying Firm Over ICPC Prosecution

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

Under the banner of the El‑Rufai Support Group Association (ERSGA), the group announced this decision in a statement released on Wednesday.

ERSGA said it has hired Vanguard Africa, an international advocacy organisation headquartered in Washington, DC, to lead outreach to key stakeholders in the United States and the broader international community.

The statement highlighted that the purpose of the engagement is to draw attention to what the group describes as growing concerns over the rule of law, due process and the state of democratic institutions in Nigeria.

According to the group, Vanguard Africa will coordinate outreach efforts to officials within the U.S. administration, members of Congress, government agencies, pro‑democracy organisations and multilateral institutions.

ERSGA noted that the arrangement is reflected in a regulatory filing published in the United States.

The campaign is linked to the legal troubles faced by El‑Rufai, who is currently on trial over allegations of abuse of office, financial misconduct and fraud during his tenure as governor of Kaduna State.

Defending the former governor, the group maintains that the allegations against him lack merit and insists that he remains innocent of the charges.

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

“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 ICPC, while courts have repeatedly delayed bail hearings,” it added.

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

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