A Kaduna State High Court has ordered former governor Nasir El-Rufai to remain in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) pending a decision on his bail application.
The trial judge, Darius Khobo, fixed the first week of June 2026 for ruling after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and defence.
With this development, El-Rufai may be unable to take part in political activities leading up to party primaries ahead of the 2027 elections. According to the Independent National Electoral Commission timetable, party primaries are scheduled to run from April 23 to May 30, 2026.
The situation is further complicated within the African Democratic Congress, where rival factions led by David Mark and Nafiu Bala are currently in a leadership dispute before the Supreme Court.
El-Rufai is facing an amended nine-count charge bordering on alleged fraud, abuse of office and corruption. He is now the sole defendant in the case before the Kaduna State High Court.
Although a Federal High Court had earlier granted him bail in the sum of ₦200 million with conditions, the current court declined to rule immediately on his fresh bail application, ordering instead that he remain in ICPC custody.
The ICPC opposed the bail request, arguing that releasing the former governor could interfere with ongoing investigations, including possible witness tampering.
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Reacting to the court’s decision, El-Rufai’s counsel, Ubong Akpan, criticised the ruling, describing it as unjustified. He argued that the court appeared to base its decision on the assumption that his client’s status as a former governor could influence the investigation.
“We respectfully disagree with the position of the court,” Akpan said, adding that the legal team would challenge the decision through proper channels.
He also suggested that the case carries political undertones but maintained that the defence would continue to rely on due process.
The matter has been adjourned to June for ruling on the bail application and continuation of trial proceedings.
