Former Governor of Kaduna State, Nasir El-Rufai, has formally petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, requesting the immediate reassignment of Justice R.M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court, Kaduna, from presiding over his ongoing criminal trial.
In a petition dated April 9, 2026, El-Rufai urged the Chief Justice to transfer the case to another judge within the Kaduna division or take alternative administrative steps to safeguard the integrity of the proceedings and maintain public confidence in the judiciary.
He described Justice Aikawa’s continued handling of the case as “untenable in law, prudence, common sense and judicial ethics,” citing alleged bias, pending disciplinary complaints against the judge, and his refusal to recuse himself.
Justice Aikawa is currently presiding over a 10-count charge filed by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) against El-Rufai and a co-defendant. The charges include allegations of abuse of office, money laundering, and fraud involving ₦579.6 million and $1.1 million.
A bail hearing in the case has been scheduled for April 14.
El-Rufai’s latest petition follows an earlier submission made in February 2025 and outlines several grounds for seeking the judge’s removal. Among these are multiple unresolved complaints alleging bias, which are currently pending before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and the National Judicial Council (NJC).
He argued that the criminal charges and previous proceedings involve the same parties, judicial division, and overlapping factual and political contexts, creating what he described as an “objective appearance of bias.”
“Even if actual bias is denied, the appearance of bias is unavoidable, which the law treats as equally fatal,” the petition stated.
El-Rufai further warned that allowing Justice Aikawa to continue presiding over the trial could undermine public confidence in the judiciary, compromise the integrity of the proceedings, and expose the case to possible reversal on appeal.
He maintained that the judge should have declined to hear the matter from the outset or referred it to the Chief Judge for reassignment. According to him, the failure to take either step necessitates intervention by the Chief Justice.
In his petition, El-Rufai requested that the Chief Justice direct the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to immediately reassign the case to another judge, either within or outside the Kaduna division. He also called for the details of Justice Aikawa’s conduct to be forwarded to the NJC’s Preliminary Assessment Committee for review, alongside any additional administrative measures needed to protect the integrity of the proceedings and sustain public trust in the judiciary.
