- Court declines El-Rufai’s bail request
- Judge says application is premature
- Former governor absent, remains in ICPC custody
- Arraignment fixed for April 23, 2026
A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has declined to hear the bail application filed by former Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai, describing the request as premature and adjourning the case to April 23, 2026 for proper arraignment.
The ruling was delivered on Wednesday by Justice Joyce Obehi Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court Maitama.
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According to SaharaReporters, the court refused to allow El-Rufai’s legal team to move the bail application during the session.
A lawyer familiar with the proceedings said the judge ruled that the application could not be entertained until the former governor is properly arraigned.
“On the El-Rufai case, the court denied his counsel the right to move for his bail application just now,” the lawyer said.
“The court held that the bail application is immature and adjourned the matter to April 23, 2026, for arraignment.”
El-Rufai was not present in court during the hearing, as he is said to be in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission (ICPC).
Several chieftains of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), including Bolaji Abdullahi, were present in court to observe the proceedings.
The latest development comes amid mounting legal challenges facing the former governor and anti-corruption agencies.
El-Rufai had earlier filed a ₦1 billion fundamental rights enforcement suit against the ICPC and three other respondents, alleging an unlawful invasion of his Abuja residence.
A former member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), El-Rufai recently defected to the ADC and has vowed to lead a coalition aimed at preventing President Bola Tinubu from returning to Aso Rock in the next election.