The Anglican bishop of Zaria diocese, Abiodun Ogunyemi, has been arraigned before a chief magistrate’s court in Kaduna over alleged “defamatory remarks” he made against Governor Nasir el-Rufai.
The Bishop who was arraigned on charges bordering on criminal defamation, injurious falsehood and criminal intimidation, had criticised the governor over the planned demolition of 110-year-old St George Cathedral in Zaria.
In a statement released in November 2019, Ogunyemi said that El-Rufai will never be president even though he is being groomed to take over from President Muhammadu Buhari in 2023.
However, upon being arraigned on, the Bishop pleaded not guilty and was granted bail. A member of the Kaduna Synod and a canon of the cathedral church of St Michael Kaduna stood in as surety.
The director of public prosecutions hinted that a peaceful resolution of the case is ongoing and the defence counsel also agreed to this.
The magistrate subsequently adjourned the case to October 28, 2020, for continuation.