Michael Olugbode in Abuja
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 yesterday 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 inter-nationalisation 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, who spoke 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 weaponised for political ends,” he said.
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 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.
The ICPC has not publicly responded to the latest move by El-Rufai’s supporters.
The development comes amid growing political tension ahead of the 2027 elections and is likely to intensify scrutiny of Nigeria’s commitment to due process, judicial independence and democratic freedoms from both domestic and international observers.
