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- Nasir El-Rufai, the immediate past governor of Kaduna state, has written a petition against Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa
- Justice Aikawa is the presiding judge in the case between El-Rufai and the Kaduna state House of Assembly over the N423 billion corruption allegation
- The former governor, in a petition to the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), alleged that Justice Aikawa was impartial and unfair in the case before him
Kaduna - Former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai has filed a petition against Justice Rilwan M. Aikawa, the presiding judge in his case against the Kaduna State House of Assembly. In the petition filed at the Federal High Court, Abuja, El-Rufai alleges bias, injustice, and denial of a fair hearing.
El-Rufai had initially filed a fundamental rights case in June 2024, challenging a report by the House of Assembly that accused him and others of misappropriating N423 billion. He claimed the House did not give him a fair hearing during its sitting.
Source: Twitter
The petition requests that the matter be transferred to another judge in the interest of justice. El-Rufai's counsel, Abdulhakeem Mustapha (SAN), argues that Justice Aikawa's continued presiding over the case would lead to injustice and denial of fair hearing.
Why El-Rufai writes petition against Justice Aikawa
El-Rufai recounts the events of the July 8 hearing, where his counsel informed the court that they had been served with processes from the 2nd Respondent and needed time to respond. The 1st Respondent's counsel, Sani Katu, SAN, acknowledged that they had not filed any processes and were out of time to do so.
The court adjourned the matter to July 17, 2024, by agreement among all counsel. El-Rufai's petition seeks to transfer the case to another judge, citing concerns about Justice Aikawa's impartiality and fairness.
This development highlights the ongoing legal battle between El-Rufai and the Kaduna State House of Assembly. The former governor is seeking to clear his name and challenge the Assembly's report.
El-Rufai reacts to Supreme Court judgment
Legit.ng earlier reported that the former governor of Kaduna state, Nasir El-Rufai, made a cryptic comment on the Supreme Court judgment granting autonomy to local governments in Nigeria.
El-Rufai quoted a tweet from the presidency that summarised the apex court's judgment with a terse comment saying God gives and takes.
The former governor's comment comes amid his ongoing political battle with Uba Sani, his successor in Kaduna state.
Source: Legit.ng
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