A KANO State High Court has fixed Wednesday, November 20, for hearing a pending application in the case of alleged bribery and misappropriation against the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, and seven others.
The Kano State government had filed eight charges against Ganduje and his wife, Hafsat Umar, alleging bribery, misappropriation, and the diversion of public funds running into billions of naira.
Others charged with the couple are Lasage General Enterprises Limited, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, Jibrilla Muhammad, Umar Abdullahi Umar, and Abubakar Bawuro.
When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, October 23, the state counsel, Adeola Adedipe, a senior advocate, informed the court that he was not prepared to move further on the preliminary objection.
“My lord, we have filed our counter affidavit, and one of our witnesses is hearing before the court all the way from Lagos State,” Adedipe stated.
Offiong Offiong, a senior advocate, who represented Ganduje and his wife, informed the court that he had yet to receive the plaintiff’s counter-affidavit and preliminary objection.
Offiong told the court he was not ready and asked for another date to move the application.
In his submission, counsel to the 3rd and 7th defendant, Taye Falola, told the court that he had yet to be served the applications and counter affidavit.
“We filed our preliminary objection on the motion on notice dated and filed October 10, 2024. We humbly apply for another date for the hearing,” Falola told the court
Counsel to the 6th respondent, Nureini Jimoh, also a senior advocate, told the court that he filed a notice of preliminary objection dated July 9 and stated that he was ready to proceed with the application.
The counsels for the fifth and eighth defendants, Abdul Adamu and Faruk Asekome, respectively, stated that they had yet to receive the preliminary objection and counter-affidavit.
“My lord, we are also asking for another date,” they stated.
The judge, Amina Adamu-Aliyu, said service of processes was essential and revoked the plaintiff’s application.
The judge adjourned the matter until Nov. 20 for the hearing of all pending applications.
Recall that the court had on July 11 insisted that the defendants’ trial must continue even in their absence.
The case is attracting significant attention due to the high-profile nature of the defendants, particularly Ganduje, the state’s immediate past governor.
The court had on June 5 granted an order seeking to serve Ganduje and seven others through substituted service.
In a ruling in July, Justice Adamu-Aliyu dismissed the state government’s application seeking a bench warrant on the defendant.
She entered a plea of not guilty on behalf of the defendants and refused to strike out the charge.
The ICIR reported in July that the Kano State government filed fresh charges against Ganduje, accusing him of spending N240 million belonging to the state to pursue a personal legal matter.
The state’s attorney general and commissioner for justice under Ganduje, Musa Abdullahi, was listed as a second defendant in the charge marked K/143c/24 and submitted to the state High Court.
A reporter with the ICIR
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