The magistrate, Mr Balago, ordered that the accused be detained in a correctional facility till 8 May for the hearing of the case.
The former chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Jigawa State, Habibu Sara, has been jailed for allegedly defaming the character of the state governor, Muhammad Badaru, during a radio programme.
Mr Sara was arrested by the police and charged to court and remanded in prison on Thursday following the radio programme which aired on radio stations in Jigawa and neighbouring Kano State on 25 and 26 April.
Mr Sara claimed that the governor convened a meeting in Saudi Arabia with some politicians where they planned to scuttle the incoming administration of the governor-elect, Umar Namadi.
"The governor has already bought vehicles to be distributed to the commissioners of the incoming administration. He should not be doing this because it's not his responsibility to purchase vehicles for the new administration.
"For the past eight years, he (Governor Badaru) bought 200 vehicles whose transactions and distribution were shrouded in secrecy. We are demanding an explanation", Mr Sara claimed in the radio programmes.
But the governor's aide on media content development, Habibu Muhammad, in a letter of complaint, asked the police to arrest Mr Sara and one other person, Karami Jahun, whom he accused of peddling false information against his principal.
"The above allegations are false and are intended to defame the character of the governor of Jigawa and his servants including myself (Mr Muhammad) and to incite public disturbance and disharmony in the governance of the state and between Jigawa State and the incoming governor.
"It's against this background that I write this complaint to urge you to investigate the matter and bring the culprit to book if found wanting in violation of the law", Mr Muhammed wrote to the police.
On Thursday, a magistrate, Auwal Balago, charged Messrs Sara and Jahun with a three-count charge of defamation of character, an attempt to incite public disturbance and disorder.
The duo pleaded not guilty.
The magistrate, Mr Balago ordered that the accused be detained in a correctional facility till 8 May for the hearing of the case.
