Former Kaduna State governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, requesting that his ongoing trial be transferred from Justice R. M. Aikawa of the Federal High Court in Kaduna.
In the petition dated April 9, 2026, El-Rufai asked that the case be reassigned to another judge within the Kaduna division, citing concerns over alleged bias and what he described as questionable judicial conduct.
He argued that allowing Justice Aikawa to continue presiding over the matter would fall short of legal and ethical expectations, especially given existing complaints.
According to him, multiple petitions accusing the judge of bias are already before the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court and the National Judicial Council (NJC).
El-Rufai maintained that the nature of the case, including its links to previous proceedings involving similar parties and issues, makes reassignment necessary. He also pointed to what he called an “unavoidable perception of bias,” warning that such concerns could erode confidence in the judicial process.
The former governor cautioned that continuing the trial under the current arrangement could undermine the credibility of the judiciary and potentially lead to the case being overturned on appeal after causing significant personal consequences.
He insisted the matter should have either been assigned to a different judge from the outset or reassigned once concerns were raised.
El-Rufai urged the CJN to direct the immediate transfer of the case to another judge within or outside Kaduna State. He also requested that issues raised in his petition, including the conduct of Justice Aikawa, be referred to the appropriate authorities within the NJC for review.
He further called for administrative measures to safeguard the integrity of the trial and maintain public trust in the justice system.
As of the time of filing this report, there has been no official response from the Chief Justice of Nigeria or other relevant judicial authorities regarding the petition.