The spokesman of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Olisa Metuh, has been remanded in prison by a federal High Court in Abuja.
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The decision of the court came following his not guilty plea to a seven-count charge of corruption and money laundering.
Tony Anenih received N21m from Metuh for unknown reasons, EFCC said.
He is also accused of receiving the sum of 400 million Naira from the office of the former National Security Adviser, Colonel Sambo Dasuki, without a contract contrary to the Money Laundering Act.
Thereafter, his lawyer, Ifedayo Adedipe, filed an oral application for bail which was opposed by the prosecuting counsel.
Mr. Metuh on Wednesday filed an application before the court demanding the commencement of his trial or his immediate release from the custody of the EFCC.
By the cash payments, the accused were said to have committed offences contrary to section 1 of the Money Laundering (Prohibition) Act as amended in 2012 and punishable under section 16(2)(b) of the same Act.
The EFCC filed the charge, with number FHC/ABJ/CR/05/2016, on today, January 14.
Abang refused the oral application because it did not disclose sufficient evidence as stipulated by the law.
The fund which was withdrawn from an account the Office of the NSA operated with the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN, was allegedly transferred to Metuh through account no. 0040437573, which Destra Investments Limited operated with Diamond Bank Plc.
“I so hold that in such an interlocutory application parties before a court can only be heard within the confines of the rules of court”, Abang said.
He ruled that the five days from January 13, excluding the day of service and Sunday (January 17) would expire on January 19.
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The case has been adjourned to January 20.
