ABUJA—An Abuja High Court presided over by Justice Abimbola Banjoko, on Tuesday threw out an application by Senator Nicholas Ugbane, erstwhile chairman of the  Senate Committee on Power, seeking to quash the N5.2 billion corruption charges against him.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, had on May 14, arraigned Ugbane, who is the third accused along with  Ndudi Elumelu, Paulinus Igwe, Mohammed Jibo, members of the House of Representatives.

Others charged in the case are the Managing Director of  Rural Electrification Agency (REA),  Samuel Gekpe, the Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Power, Dr. Abdullahi Aliyu, Simon Kirdi Nanle, Lawrence Kayode Orekoya, Abdulsamad Garba Jahun and Kayode I. Oyedeji.

They are being prosecuted for their roles in a N5.2 billion REA contract scam bordering on criminal conspiracy, breach of public trust, theft and misappropriation of public funds.