Nigeria, March 21 -- The Court of Appeal in Abuja has granted the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) leave to challenge a Federal High Court ruling barring it from retrying former Abia State Governor Orji Uzor Kalu over alleged N7.1 billion fraud.

In two separate rulings delivered by a three-member panel on Friday, the Court of Appeal allowed an extension of time for the federal government to file its appeal against the 29 September 2021, judgement of the Federal High Court in Abuja.

The contested judgement had stopped the EFCC from prosecuting Mr Kalu, who currently represents Abia North in the Senate.

Mr Kalu, who governed Abia State from 1999 to 2007, was convicted in December 2019 by the Federal High Court in Lagos and...