A Kaduna State High Court on Tuesday ordered that former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) pending a ruling on his bail application.
The trial judge, Darius Khobo, adjourned the matter to the first week of June for ruling after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
With this development, El-Rufai may be unable to participate in activities leading to the presidential, governorship, and National Assembly primaries of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). According to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), party primaries are scheduled to run from April 23 to May 30, 2026.
The ADC is yet to fix a date for its presidential primary, as leadership tussles between factions led by David Mark and Nafiu Bala remain unresolved at the Supreme Court, which has fixed Wednesday for hearing on the appeal.
El-Rufai is standing trial on an amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud, abuse of office, and corruption. The ICPC had earlier revised the charges, making him the sole defendant before the court.
Although a Federal High Court had previously granted him bail in the sum of N200 million with conditions, proceedings at the Kaduna High Court on Tuesday focused on arguments over a fresh bail application.
Counsel to the ICPC opposed the application, arguing that granting bail could jeopardise ongoing investigations, citing concerns that the defendant might interfere with witnesses or evidence.
However, the court declined to give an immediate ruling and instead ordered that El-Rufai be remanded in ICPC custody pending its decision.
Reacting to the development, defence counsel, Ubong Akpan, criticised the ruling, describing it as unjustified and based on assumptions about his client’s status.
“The court, in its wisdom, decided that because Nasir El-Rufai is a former governor, he is going to interfere with the investigation. Therefore, he is not entitled to bail in an allegation of financial impropriety. We respectfully disagree,” he said.
Akpan added that the defence team would challenge the decision through appropriate legal channels.
“The next step is to take the legal steps required to challenge it. We will respond through the proper legal process. That is what the law requires,” he said.
He further alleged that the case has political undertones but maintained that the defence would remain committed to the rule of law.
“From the beginning, everything about Nasir El-Rufai’s travails has always been political. This is mainly the legal arm of it,” he stated.
He also urged supporters of the former governor to remain calm and law-abiding.
The case was adjourned to the first week of June for ruling on the bail application and continuation of proceedings.
El-Rufai returned to Nigeria from Cairo on February 12, 2026. Since his return, he has been involved in multiple investigations by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), the ICPC, and the Department of State Services (DSS).
