El-Rufai’s Hospital Visit: Aide Responds to ICPC Allegations

Media aide to former Kaduna governor Nasir El-Rufai, Muyiwa Adekeye, has rejected accusations that his principal breached any court order during a trip to the National Hospital in Abuja.

In a statement issued on Thursday, Adekeye said the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) mischaracterised the visit as a political gathering, which he described as inaccurate.

He noted that the ICPC had been informed of El‑Rufai’s request to consult his personal physician prior to July 6.

Adekeye countered the commission’s claim that the former governor had no immediate medical concerns before the July 7 appointment, asserting that the family had arranged for the consultation at 5 p.m. on that day to take advantage of a quieter hospital environment.

According to the aide, the ICPC unilaterally shifted the appointment from 5 p.m. to 10 a.m. without prior notice to the family.

After meeting with his oncologist, Professor Bello Abubakar, in a private consultation room, El‑Rufai remained in a public area of the hospital’s private wing for about an hour while awaiting the written medical report that the ICPC itself required before he could be returned to custody.

Adekeye explained that several individuals who learned of his expected presence approached him for a brief meeting, similar to the case of Isa Ashiru, while others who merely happened to see him stopped by to exchange greetings—a routine occurrence when a prominent figure is spotted.

He argued that the ICPC’s portrayal of the visit as a political meeting ignores its own actions: moving the appointment to a busy time slot, failing to notify the family, and stationing its own officers at the scene.

“A narrative of political theatre engineered by the defence is not supported by a sequence in which the Commission itself selected the time, controlled the access and had its own officers present,” the statement added.

Adekeye pointed out that the ICPC alleged El‑Rufai violated a “court‑approved medical visit” without specifying the terms of the order in question.

He clarified that the Kaduna High Court’s order of 1 April 2026 granted El‑Rufai access to medical care while in custody and did not impose any restrictions on who could see him during that care.

“No such order is identified, not its date, its forum or its terms,” Adekeye said, adding that the only existing directive is the April 2026 ruling by Justice Aikawa, which merely ensures medical access without regulating visitors.

He concluded by urging that Abubakar be granted immediate and unconditional release pending the ICPC’s disclosure of the specific allegation against him.