Nasir El-Rufai, the former Governor of Kaduna State, has retracted three legal motions previously submitted in his current corruption lawsuit. This change in strategy occurred after his recently appointed legal counsel offered an apology to the Kaduna State High Court.
During the proceedings on Wednesday, Senior Advocate of Nigeria Paul Erokoro requested that Justice Darius Khobo allow the withdrawal of these documents. Erokoro stated that upon taking over the case, he reviewed the filings and found them excessively aggressive in tone. He apologized for the combative nature of the prior motions and indicated that he had prepared a new filing for the court to consider, requesting additional time for this process.
Ibrahim Muktar, representing the prosecution, voiced frustration regarding the defense’s strategy. He argued that the continuous filing of motions is a tactical move intended to stall the judicial process. Muktar specifically noted that the defense had introduced additional requests for the judge to step down since the last session. He stated that the prosecution is fully prepared to proceed with the trial, emphasizing that these persistent interruptions have significantly hindered the case’s progress.
Ultimately, Justice Khobo permitted the defense more time to organize their filings and scheduled the next hearing for July 22, 2026.
