The El-Rufai Support Group Association (ERSGA) has engaged a United States-based advocacy firm to mount an international campaign over the ongoing trial and detention of former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai.
In a statement issued on Tuesday by its Director of Strategic Partnership, Mohammed Salihu, the group said it had contracted Vanguard Africa, a Washington DC-based organisation, to interface with international stakeholders on developments surrounding the case.
According to the association, the firm will engage policymakers, democracy advocates, and multilateral institutions, including officials of the United States government and members of Congress.
The group said the move was necessary due to growing concerns over el-Rufai’s prolonged detention by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since February over allegations linked to his tenure as governor.
“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 group 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 weaponised for political ends.”
ERSGA also described the former governor as a prominent public figure who has served in various national capacities, including Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, and Governor of Kaduna State.
The group insisted that el-Rufai is innocent of the allegations and argued that the case raises broader concerns about judicial independence and the integrity of public institutions.
It added that the matter has become a key test of Nigeria’s commitment to the rule of law, especially as political activity builds toward the 2027 general elections.
ERSGA further called on international actors to closely monitor the situation, urging support for efforts aimed at safeguarding democratic freedoms and judicial independence in Nigeria.
El-Rufai was previously indicted by the Kaduna State House of Assembly in 2024 over alleged diversion of N423 billion and money laundering, with recommendations that anti-graft agencies investigate the claims.
He was later arraigned by the ICPC before the Kaduna High Court on a revised nine-count charge involving alleged fraud and abuse of office.
The ICPC has, however, denied allegations of rights violations, insisting that all procedures in the case have followed due process.