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Former minister of
the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nasir El-Rufai, yesterday told a
Federal High Court, sitting in Abuja, that it lacked the power to try
him over allegations of abuse of office as minister. He said that the
proper court to try him was the Abuja High Court.

Counsel to the
former minister, Akin Olujimi, filed a preliminary objection saying
that the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Matters
Commission (ICPC) Act of 2000, which his client had been charged on,
had been repealed and so the federal court lacked the jurisdiction to
try the matter. “The prosecution acknowledges that the charges stand on
nothing,” said Mr Olujimi. “The effect of a repealed law is that it is
a nullity, and no charges founded on it can stand.”

In response to the
preliminary objection, the prosecution said that the court could assume
jurisdiction in the matter because it involved an agency of the federal
government and a former minister in the federal cabinet. Trial Judge,
Adamu Bello, adjourned ruling on the case to 13th October.

Mr. El-Rufai and two others were accused by the Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission of illegally allocating land in the FCT to
friends and relatives, some of whom included Iyabo Obasanjo-Bello, the
daughter of former president Olusegun Obasanjo. The other accused
persons are Altine Jubrin, former director general of the Abuja
Geographical Information System, and Ismail Iro, former general manager
of the agency. All three men pleaded not guilty.