Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has dismissed allegations by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) that he abused medical privileges and violated a court order, describing the commission’s claims as inaccurate in both fact and law.
In a statement issued on Wednesday by his media adviser, Muyiwa Adekeye, El-Rufai said his absence from the July 6 court sitting in Kaduna was due to unresolved health concerns that had been communicated to the ICPC prior to the hearing.
The statement alleged that his personal physician, Bello Abubakar, was denied access to examine him despite prior coordination with the commission’s medical personnel. The family later requested that El-Rufai be taken to the National Hospital, Abuja, for a consultation scheduled for July 7 – an appointment that predated notification of the court hearing and was consistent with an existing court order.
Defence Challenges ICPC’s Account
The rebuttal took issue with the commission’s claim that El-Rufai had no immediate medical complaints and only sought to see his physician at his wife’s request. It also noted that the prosecution attempted to present its version from the bar without calling witnesses or tendering evidence, a move the defence opposed on the grounds that such allegations required sworn testimony and cross-examination.
The court has adjourned the matter until July 15 to hear El-Rufai’s recusal application and await a decision on a pending transfer petition.
ICPC Accused of Withholding Key Facts
The statement further argued that the ICPC omitted crucial details, including an April 1 court order guaranteeing El-Rufai access to medical care while in custody. It insisted that no order restricted who could see him during treatment and that the commission had changed the approved hospital appointment from 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 a.m. without prior notice to the family.
According to the defence, El-Rufai remained briefly in a public area awaiting his medical report, during which visitors greeted him – a circumstance the ICPC allegedly misrepresented as a political gathering, ignoring that commission officials controlled the visit and security arrangements.
Physician’s Arrest Condemned
The statement also questioned the arrest of Dr Abubakar and demanded details of the alleged false statements attributed to him, calling for his immediate and unconditional release pending disclosure of the allegations.
El-Rufai’s team maintained that no court order had been disobeyed and that the ICPC had in fact complied with the medical access order rather than breached it. They urged the commission to retract its July 7 statement alleging a violation.
The former governor reaffirmed his commitment to defending his right to a fair trial, medical care of his choice, and treatment in accordance with the law, warning that any restriction of his access to medical care, family or legal counsel would attract contempt proceedings against the commission.
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— Elanza News
