A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has refused to grant bail to Rochas Okorocha, former Governor of Imo State.
Okorocha had filed an ex-parte application praying the court to release him on bail on the ground that he is a presidential aspirant on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and that his political ambition would be jeopardised if not granted bail.
The presidential primary of the APC has been fixed for Sunday, May 29 and Monday, May 30.
Ruling on the bail application on Friday, the presiding judge, Inyang Ekwo, refused to grant his request to compel the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to release him.
Instead, the judge ordered Okorocha to put the Federal Government on notice to appear in court to defend his detention.
The Senator representing Imo West was forcefully arrested on Tuesday when operatives of the EFCC broke into his Abuja home after a seven-hour siege.
The commission had said the arrest was necessitated by Okorocha’s refusal to attend his trial.
The EFCC had, on January 31, filed a 17-count charge against the former Imo governor before a federal high court in Abuja.
According to the EFCC, Okorocha allegedly conspired with others, including a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and five companies to steal N2.9 billion in public funds.
Aside from Okorocha, other defendants listed are Anyim Nyerere Chinenye, Naphtali International Limited, Perfect Finish Multi Projects Limited, Consolid Projects Consulting Limited, Pramif International Limited, and Legend World Concepts Limited.