Former Anambra State governor and ex-Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige, on Thursday night made a surprise appearance at the All Progressives Congress APC National Caucus meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, hours after his release from the Kuje custodial facility.
Mr Ngige, who served in the Buhari administration, had been remanded pending investigation into corruption allegations brought against him by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission EFCC.
He was granted bail earlier on Thursday and met the bail conditions, leading to his release.
After leaving custody, Ngige proceeded to the State House Conference Centre, where President Bola Tinubu and senior APC figures were meeting.
His entry was briefly delayed at the security checkpoint while clearance was verified before he was allowed into the venue.
Inside the hall, Ngige attracted attention as presidential aides, party leaders and supporters welcomed him, with some applauding his appearance.
His presence added tension to a meeting focused on party consolidation, internal reforms and recent political realignments within the APC.
Ngige’s appearance came on the same day Justice Maryam Hassan of the Federal Capital Territory High Court admitted him to bail pending trial.
The judge adopted the administrative bail earlier granted by the EFCC on self recognition, but imposed additional conditions.
She ordered that his surety must be a Federal Government director with landed property in Abuja supported by a Certificate of Occupancy.
The court also directed that the original title documents of the property and the surety’s international passport be deposited with the court.
Justice Hassan ruled that the alleged offences were bailable and restated the constitutional presumption of innocence, warning against bail conditions that could amount to indirect denial of bail.
Ngige was arraigned on December 12 on an eight count charge bordering on alleged corrupt practices during his tenure as Minister of Labour under the Buhari administration.
He pleaded not guilty.
His lawyer, Patrick Ikwueto, asked the court to grant bail, while EFCC counsel, Sylvanus Tahir, opposed the application, accusing Chris Ngige of breaching an earlier administrative bail and failing to surrender his travel passport after travelling abroad.
The court fixed January 28 and 29 for trial.
