A Federal High Court in Abuja has refused to grant bail to former Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha pending the outcome of a suit he filed against the Federal Government.
Former governor’s request to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release him on bail was denied by Justice Inyang Ekwo.
In a brief ruling on Okorocha’s bail application, Justice Ekwo stated that he was not inclined to admit the applicant to bail.
Rather, the judge ordered Okorocha to summon the Federal Government to defend his detention.
The former governor had filed an ex-parte application in which he justified his bail request by claiming to be a presidential candidate.
He informed the court that he was running for the presidential ticket of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and that his political career would be jeopardised if he was not granted bail.
Arrest During a Drama
On Tuesday, a team of EFCC operatives stormed the former governor’s home in the Maitama area of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) to arrest him.
The team, which insisted that Okorocha submit himself for arrest or honour a long-standing invitation to their office, later barricaded the presidential aspirant’s residence.
They claim that no one from Okorocha’s family will be allowed to leave the compound until the former governor is produced.
Following a series of dramas on the scene, gunshots were heard as the anti-graft agency’s team broke into Okorocha’s house and led the presidential aspirant to their office in the nation’s capital.
Okorocha had previously told Channels Television that he was being held hostage by EFCC agents.
He had also condemned the arrest team’s actions and vowed to remain indoors until a warrant for his arrest was presented to him.
On January 31, the EFCC charged Okorocha, who currently represents Imo West senatorial district, with a new set of corruption charges totaling N2.9 billion.
It filed the charges in Abuja court around the same time the lawmaker declared his intention to run for president in 2023.
Okorocha was accused of conspiring to steal from public coffers with others, including an APC member and five companies, but has since denied any wrongdoing.
He emphasised that this was not the first time he had faced such action from the agency, which he described as politically motivated.
