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The Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, has filed a counter-affidavit in opposition to a fresh bail application filed by the former governor of Kaduna State, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, in the ongoing case before the Kaduna State High Court.
At the resumed hearing of the matter on Tuesday, counsel to the defendant, Mr. Ubong Akpang, informed the court of a pending bail application, emphasising that it concerns the defendant’s liberty.
He further stated that all necessary processes had been duly filed and served, expressing readiness to proceed with the hearing.
However, counsel to the ICPC, Mr. Ibrahim Mukhtar, informed the court that he had only just been served with the defendant’s further affidavit in support of the bail application and would require time to study the new processes.
Following this development, the Honourable Court adjourned the matter to 13 May 2026 for the hearing of the bail application.
It would be recalled that the court had earlier declined to grant bail to Mallam El-Rufai in a previous application.
Honourable Justice D.H. Khobo held that the defendant had not filed a further affidavit to challenge the ICPC’s counter-affidavit, which raised new facts.
These facts included the likelihood of flight risk due to his influence and resources, alleged obstruction of lawful arrest at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, refusal to surrender travel documents and devices for investigation, and concerns over potential interference with witnesses and evidence.
In its determination, the court emphasised that bail is discretionary and must serve the interests of justice.
Justice Khobo held that the defendant’s high status could facilitate interference with ongoing investigations, especially as some suspects remain at large.
The court had further noted the defendant’s failure to challenge key allegations in the prosecution’s counter-affidavit, thereby deeming them admitted, and had dismissed unsubstantiated health claims for lack of evidence.
Consequently, the court refused bail to the defendant, ordering that he remain in ICPC custody pending the commencement of the trial, and directed an accelerated hearing.
Notwithstanding this, the defence team proceeded to file a fresh application for bail.
The ICPC has since filed its response opposing the latest bail application and remains committed to ensuring that justice is served in accordance with the law.
The Commission assures the public of its continued dedication to the diligent prosecution of corruption cases and the upholding of due process.
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has reportedly purchased nomination forms for the Orlu Zone senatorial seat, signaling an intention to leave Government House in Owerri for a return to the National Assembly — and, according to political insiders, to position himself for the Senate Presidency.
The development was disclosed in a political update circulating Thursday, May 1, with sources indicating that the governor’s entry into the race carries direct implications for the current occupant of the seat. Orlu Zone Senator Osita Izunaso, the update suggested, would not be returning to the Red Chamber when the political dust settles.
Senator Ezenwa Onyewuchi is separately said to be “strongly being penciled” for an unspecified role as part of the emerging political arrangement, though details of what position he is being positioned for were not made available.
Read also: $1 Trillion Economy Goal Set At Imo Summit, Uzodinma Says
The nomination form purchases from Imo State’s three senatorial zones paint a picture of uneven interest in the 2027 race as of May 1. Orlu Zone has recorded one aspirant — Uzodimma, if the reports are accurate — while Okigwe Zone has attracted three and Owerri Zone four, making the state capital’s district the most contested of the three.
Uzodimma’s path to the Senate is not without precedent — he represented Orlu Zone in the upper chamber before his election as governor, meaning a return would be a restoration of a position he held rather than a reach for new ground. What would be genuinely new is the Senate Presidency ambition. If he secures the Orlu seat and arrives in the Red Chamber with sufficient support among incoming colleagues, political watchers say he could reshape the calculations around who leads the 10th Senate.
The political update that carried the information concluded with an unusual instruction — that “calls on this matter won’t be entertained” — suggesting the source had no intention of fielding further questions or clarifications about the disclosures.
