Happening now: ADC governorship candidate Ashiru accompanies El-Rufai to courtroom in Kaduna

Former Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai on Tuesday arrived on the Kaduna State High Court for the continuation of his corruption trial, accompanied by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate within the state, Isa Ashiru.

El-Rufai arrived on the courtroom premises at about 11:50 a.m., forward of the listening to scheduled for midday, as safety was tightened across the courtroom advanced.

Ashiru’s presence alongside the previous governor added a political dimension to the proceedings, coming amid a collection of authorized battles involving El-Rufai, his continued detention by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC), and his unsuccessful makes an attempt to safe bail within the Kaduna State case. Blueprint experiences

The former governor’s look adopted an order by Justice Darius Khobo directing the anti-corruption company to provide him in courtroom for the resumed listening to.

The case had been adjourned on Monday after El-Rufai was absent from courtroom following data that he had requested to seek the advice of his private medical physician to assessment medical check outcomes.

Tuesday’s proceedings are anticipated to advance the substantive trial, which entails allegations of corruption and different monetary offences linked to transactions and selections throughout El-Rufai’s administration of Kaduna State between 2015 and 2023.

Why the courtroom adjourned proceedings on Monday

At Monday’s sitting, ICPC lead counsel, Ayodeji Adedipe, informed the courtroom that the prosecution had anticipated El-Rufai to be current regardless of a request by his lead defence counsel, Paul Erokoro, for an adjournment to attend the swearing-in ceremony of a brand new set of Senior Advocates of Nigeria on the Supreme Court.

Adedipe defined that he had communicated with the defence over the scheduling of the proceedings and agreed to an adjournment for Monday, whereas proposing that the case proceed on Tuesday.

The prosecution, nonetheless, expressed shock that El-Rufai was additionally absent, saying it had not been knowledgeable that the defendant could be unavailable for the listening to.

Adedipe subsequently contacted the fee to ascertain why the previous governor had not been delivered to courtroom and was knowledgeable that El-Rufai had requested to see his private doctor for a assessment of medical check outcomes.

The data was communicated to the courtroom, which directed that the defendant and all counsel be current on the subsequent sitting.

Justice Khobo consequently ordered the ICPC to provide El-Rufai for the continuation of proceedings on Tuesday.

The newest growth has once more introduced consideration to the circumstances surrounding the previous governor’s detention and entry to medical care, points which have featured prominently in earlier bail proceedings.

Court of Appeal dismisses El-Rufai’s bail attraction

The resumed listening to comes days after the Court of Appeal in Kaduna dismissed El-Rufai’s attraction difficult the refusal of bail by the state excessive courtroom.

In its judgment delivered on October 9, a three-member panel unanimously held that the previous governor had failed to ascertain contemporary information or particular circumstances warranting interference with the decrease courtroom’s choice.

The lead judgment, delivered by Justice Onyekachi Aja Otisi, affirmed the ruling of the Kaduna State High Court, which had refused El-Rufai’s second bail utility on June 10.

The appellate courtroom additionally struck out a reply temporary filed by the appellant on September 29, describing it as incompetent, and resolved the difficulty earlier than it towards El-Rufai.

During the attraction, Erokoro argued that the offences towards his shopper had been bailable and didn’t appeal to the dying penalty. He maintained that continued detention was affecting the previous governor’s capacity to arrange adequately for his defence.

The defence additionally argued that detention made entry to legal professionals and witnesses tough and will have an effect on confidential communication between the defendant and his authorized workforce.

The ICPC opposed the attraction, insisting that the trial courtroom had exercised its discretion appropriately and that El-Rufai had not established ample grounds for the appellate courtroom to overturn the choice.

The fee additionally raised issues about statements allegedly made by the previous governor throughout a televised interview, arguing that they may increase questions on potential interference with the administration of justice.

The Court of Appeal in the end dismissed the attraction for missing advantage.

The judgment didn’t decide the substantive corruption allegations towards El-Rufai. Rather, it upheld the decrease courtroom’s refusal to grant bail, leaving him in custody whereas the felony proceedings continued, topic to any additional courtroom orders.

How El-Rufai’s authorized troubles started

El-Rufai’s authorized troubles escalated in February 2026 when anti-corruption businesses intensified investigations into allegations of economic misconduct related together with his administration of Kaduna State from 2015 to 2023.

Before his detention by the ICPC, the previous governor visited the headquarters of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission in Abuja following an invite over alleged monetary improprieties.

On February 18, the ICPC confirmed that El-Rufai was in its custody in reference to its investigations.

The growth adopted his earlier allegation that safety operatives had tried to arrest him after his return from Cairo, Egypt.

He additionally made allegations regarding an intercepted phone dialog involving National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu, claiming it revealed a plan to arrest him. The interception allegation subsequently turned the topic of a separate case instituted by the Department of State Services.

The ICPC investigation, in the meantime, centred on alleged monetary misconduct and abuse of workplace throughout his tenure as governor.

The fee obtained a remand order on February 19, allowing it to detain him for an preliminary 14 days whereas investigations continued. It subsequently secured an extension on March 5.

El-Rufai challenged the remand order, however the courtroom dismissed his utility on March 9, permitting his detention to proceed beneath the subsisting order.

The investigations later resulted in a number of costs earlier than completely different courts, setting the stage for a collection of authorized disputes over bail, the admissibility of proof and the circumstances surrounding his continued detention.

Multiple costs over alleged monetary misconduct

On March 24, El-Rufai was arraigned earlier than the Federal High Court in Kaduna alongside Joel Adoga, a former affiliate, over a 10-count cost involving allegations of cash laundering, abuse of workplace, fraud and illegal dealing with of public funds.

The ICPC alleged, amongst different issues, that the previous governor obtained severance allowances exceeding his lawful entitlement and was concerned in transactions referring to public funds.

The allegations included funds of about ₦289.8 million on two events, which the fee claimed exceeded the legally prescribed entitlement, in addition to alleged dealings involving greater than $1 million.

El-Rufai and his co-defendant pleaded not responsible to the fees.

In a separate case earlier than the Kaduna State High Court, the previous governor confronted allegations together with abuse of workplace, fraud, tried fraud and conferring undue benefit in reference to transactions and actions purportedly undertaken throughout his administration.

The proceedings additionally embody allegations linked to public contracts, authorities funds and different monetary transactions that occurred throughout his eight-year administration.

The instances stay separate proceedings, with every topic to its personal proof and judicial dedication. El-Rufai has denied wrongdoing and stays presumed harmless till confirmed responsible.

₦8.68bn CCTV contract case provides to authorized battles

The former governor’s authorized challenges expanded additional in June when he was arraigned earlier than the Federal High Court alongside his former senior particular adviser, Jimi Lawal, and 5 corporations over an alleged ₦8.68 billion CCTV surveillance contract in Kaduna State.

The ICPC filed an amended 11-count cost in that case, which included allegations of corruption and cash laundering.

The prosecution’s case centres on allegations referring to the award and dealing with of the surveillance contract, whereas the defendants are entitled to problem the proof and allegations offered towards them.

The CCTV contract proceedings are distinct from the case earlier than Justice Khobo on the Kaduna State High Court, though each type a part of the broader authorized challenges dealing with the previous governor over alleged monetary misconduct throughout his administration.

The existence of a number of instances has additionally difficult efforts to safe his launch, as selections regarding bail in a single continuing don’t mechanically decide his standing in one other.

Federal High Court grants bail, Kaduna courtroom refuses launch

El-Rufai secured a bail order on April 14 when the Federal High Court granted him bail within the case earlier than it.

The courtroom mounted bail at ₦200 million, topic to situations that included two sureties. One was required to be a serving or retired federal authorities official not beneath Grade Level 15, whereas the opposite needed to be a recognised conventional ruler.

The courtroom additionally imposed necessities referring to the sureties’ passports and directed El-Rufai to not make public feedback in regards to the case.

However, the order didn’t mechanically safe his launch as a result of it utilized to the proceedings earlier than the Federal High Court and didn’t override the separate case pending earlier than the Kaduna State High Court.

On April 21, Justice Khobo rejected one other bail utility by the previous governor within the state courtroom.

The defence argued that the fees weren’t capital offences and that El-Rufai was entitled to bail beneath the regulation.

The prosecution opposed his launch, elevating issues in regards to the allegations, potential interference with investigations and the necessity to guarantee his availability for trial.

The courtroom declined to grant bail, leaving him in custody whereas the proceedings continued.

The contrasting selections meant that the Federal High Court’s bail order alone couldn’t safe his launch whereas the separate state proceedings and detention-related points remained unresolved.

Disputed medical report complicates bail efforts

El-Rufai subsequently approached the Kaduna State High Court with one other bail utility on medical grounds, arguing that his well being circumstances warranted his launch.

His defence offered a medical report dated June 10, 2026, which purportedly originated from the National Hospital, Abuja.

The doc reportedly indicated that the previous governor had superior metastatic prostate most cancers and required specialised remedy mentioned to be unavailable in Nigeria.

The ICPC challenged the report, presenting data from the hospital’s administration that it had no report of treating El-Rufai and had not authorised the doc.

According to the fee, a search of the hospital’s digital medical data and affected person indexes revealed no hospital quantity, affected person file, billing report or session historical past referring to the previous governor.

The hospital additionally reportedly disowned the doc as one issued with out the data or authorisation of its administration.

On June 29, Justice Khobo dismissed El-Rufai’s third bail utility, ruling that the disputed medical report couldn’t present a dependable foundation for the distinctive reduction being sought.

The courtroom, nonetheless, directed the ICPC to supply the previous governor with unrestricted entry to his private medical physicians and make sure that he could possibly be escorted to a specialised diagnostic or scientific facility of his selection inside Nigeria when essential.

The directive addressed his entry to medical care regardless of the refusal to launch him on bail.

The dispute over the report subsequently prolonged past the bail proceedings, leading to an investigation involving his private doctor.

ICPC arrests El-Rufai’s private doctor

The controversy over the medical report led to the arrest of El-Rufai’s private doctor, Professor Bello Abubakar, an oncology guide on the National Hospital, Abuja.

On July 7, the ICPC facilitated a court-approved medical go to involving El-Rufai on the non-public wing of the National Hospital.

The fee later alleged that the go to had been used for actions past the scope of the medical session.

According to the ICPC, pictures circulated on-line exhibiting El-Rufai assembly guests through the interval designated for the session. The fee additionally cited a social media put up by political affiliate Isa Ashiru Kudan, stating {that a} assembly with the previous governor had simply concluded.

The company alleged that the circumstances surrounding the go to raised issues about compliance with the preparations beneath which the medical session had been accepted.

The ICPC subsequently introduced that Professor Abubakar had been taken into custody for additional investigation.

The growth generated controversy over the connection between the disputed medical report, the session and El-Rufai’s try and safe bail on well being grounds.

On July 20, the fee filed a four-count cost towards the doctor, accusing him of allegedly issuing a false medical report supposed to mislead a public officer and assist the previous governor’s bail utility.

The costs included allegations of offering false data and utilizing his skilled place to confer an improper benefit. The prosecution additionally alleged that the report was ready understanding its contents to be false.

The allegations towards Abubakar are separate from the corruption costs towards El-Rufai, though the prosecution hyperlinks the disputed report back to the previous governor’s bail utility.

The physician’s case stays topic to judicial dedication, and the allegations towards him shouldn’t be handled as established information.

Ashiru’s presence and the political context

Ashiru’s look alongside El-Rufai at Tuesday’s listening to comes towards the backdrop of the previous governor’s continued authorized battles and the broader political setting in Kaduna State.

As the ADC governorship candidate within the state, Ashiru is a distinguished opposition determine. His choice to accompany El-Rufai to courtroom locations the 2 politicians collectively at a time when the previous governor is dealing with a number of proceedings over alleged monetary misconduct.

The ICPC had beforehand referred to Ashiru Kudan in its account of the July medical go to, alleging {that a} social media put up and pictures indicated {that a} assembly had taken place through the interval supposed for El-Rufai’s session together with his doctor.

That earlier episode is distinct from Tuesday’s courtroom look, throughout which Ashiru accompanied the previous governor to the Kaduna State High Court.

Ashiru’s presence on the courtroom doesn’t, in itself, set up any place on the deserves of the fees earlier than the decide, nor does it decide the end result of the continuing proceedings.

The courtroom is predicted to contemplate the case on the idea of the proof, submissions of counsel and relevant regulation.

What Tuesday’s listening to means

Tuesday’s proceedings observe a collection of adjournments and authorized functions which have delayed the progress of the case.

Justice Khobo’s directive that the ICPC produce El-Rufai adopted Monday’s absence and the knowledge that he had requested entry to his private doctor to assessment medical check outcomes.

The rapid difficulty is the continuation of proceedings within the state excessive courtroom, whereas the broader authorized disputes surrounding the previous governor’s detention, bail functions and separate felony costs stay unresolved.

The Court of Appeal’s dismissal of his bail attraction has left the state excessive courtroom’s refusal of bail in place. His earlier bail order from the Federal High Court doesn’t mechanically override the separate state case.

Meanwhile, the dispute over the medical report and the prosecution of his doctor stay separate authorized issues that should be decided by means of their respective proceedings.

El-Rufai has denied wrongdoing within the instances towards him, and the fees stay allegations till established in courtroom.

For now, his look alongside Ashiru marks the most recent growth in a authorized saga that has drawn consideration to the previous governor’s administration, the ICPC’s investigations and the persevering with courtroom proceedings over alleged monetary misconduct.