Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, has broken his silence over the ongoing investigation by the Independent Corrupt Practices Commission, stating that he chose not to answer questions from the agency because it is his constitutional right.
The ex-governor, who is under probe by the anti-graft body, submitted two handwritten statements to investigators on February 19 and 20, 2026, while under caution and in the presence of his lawyer, Ubong E. Akpan.
In the documents, El-Rufai described the investigation as politically motivated and insisted that he would only respond to allegations before a court of competent jurisdiction.
He maintained that after nearly two years of investigation, the commission should file its findings before a judicial authority instead of subjecting him to further questioning.
In his first statement dated February 19, the former governor confirmed that he understood the caution administered to him and proceeded to give a summary of his personal history, educational background and public service career.
He stated that he was born in Dandawa, Katsina State, in 1960, attended school in Kaduna, and later studied at Ahmadu Bello University, as well as Harvard University and the University of London.
El-Rufai highlighted his career trajectory, including his tenure as Director-General of the Bureau of Public Enterprises, Minister of the Federal Capital Territory and two-term governor of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023, adding that he is now retired and resides largely in Egypt.
He also said he is a prominent member of the African Democratic Congress, which he described as the country’s leading opposition platform, alleging that his political role may have triggered the probe.
In a second statement dated February 20, he reiterated his decision to remain silent after investigators presented additional documents, stressing that he would only address the issues in a court of law.
The ICPC had earlier secured a 14-day remand order from a Chief Magistrate Court in Bwari, which is due to expire on March 5, 2026.