Supporters of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El Rufai have engaged a United States based lobbying and advocacy firm to raise concerns over his ongoing prosecution by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC.
The group, operating under the El Rufai Support Group Association, ERSGA, disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday.
It stated that it has retained Vanguard Africa, an international advocacy organisation based in Washington, DC, to lead engagements with stakeholders in the United States and the wider international community.
According to the group, the initiative is aimed at drawing attention to what it described as concerns around the rule of law, due process, and the state of democratic institutions in Nigeria.
ERSGA noted that Vanguard Africa will coordinate outreach to officials within the United States administration, members of Congress, government agencies, pro democracy organisations, and multilateral institutions.
The group added that the arrangement was reflected in a regulatory filing submitted in the United States.
It linked the campaign to the ongoing legal proceedings against El Rufai, who is facing allegations of abuse of office, financial misconduct, and fraud during his tenure as governor of Kaduna State.
Defending the former governor, the group insisted that the allegations lack merit and maintained that he remains innocent.
“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 read.
