The former governor of Kaduna State and ADC chieftain, Nasir El-Rufai, quietly asked whether the ADC convention would hold tomorrow as planned.
ENigeria Newspaper reports that the embattled Kaduna man, who appeared in court today to hear his bail application, was seen asking loyalists who walked with him towards the court complex.
Recall that despite the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) warning against it, the opposition party has vowed to proceed with the practice.
El-Rufai entered the courtroom with his attorneys, alongside one of his wives, while reading from a white sheet of paper. The chieftain was wearing a white babbanriga costume and an ash-colored hat.
“So the Convention is tomorrow, correct?” The loyalist said, “God’s willing,” in response to his question.
El-Rufai later responded to if he would be present at the convention, “I will be there in spirit,” he had responded swiftly.
Nasir El-Rufai, the former governor of Kaduna State, has been accused of fraud, abuse of power, and corruption in a revised nine-count complaint issued by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offenses Commission.
Ukpong Abang, the former governor’s attorney, told reporters this shortly after Monday’s Kaduna State High Court sessions. According to Abang, the prosecution changed the accusations, eliminating one of the previous defendants and making El-Rufai the only defendant.
“The charges are entirely new to us. They were given to us this morning while we were already in court. That is why the matter could not proceed to a hearing,” Abang told journalists after the session.
He, however clarified that the legal team will analyse the charges and make their position known as there was nothing they could do in that period.
The court then postponed its decision on the bail application until Tuesday, April 14.
El-Rufai and businessman Amadu Sule were previously charged by the ICPC with abuse of office, fraud, attempted fraud, and conferring undue benefit before Judge Darius Khobo.
The former governor was detained by the ICPC from February 19 till his temporary release on compassionate grounds to attend his mother’s funeral on March 28.
