Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, of the Kano State High Court has dismissed former Governor of the state and current national chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje application challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear their case of alleged bribery and misappropriation.
The court gave the ruling on Tuesday and also struck out the defendants’ preliminary objections, describing them as incompetent and citing relevant legal authorities.
Adamu-Aliyu held that the charges were filed on May 13, 2024, against Ganduje. Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited, were competent to be tried.
She said the case should proceed to trial in the absence of the defendants, just as she summoned the sixth defendant, Lamash Properties Limited, and adjourned the matter until July 30 and July 31, 2025 for hearing.
It would be recalled that earlier, counsel to Ganduje, wife, and Umar, Mrs Lydia Oluwakemi Oyewo, had filed a preliminary objection dated November 18, 2024, challenging the jurisdiction of the court and urged the court to quash all charges against the defendants.
Recall that the Kano State Government instituted an 11-count charge bordering on bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation and diversion of public funds amounting to billions of Naira against Ganduje, and his wife Hafsat Umar.
Counsel to the state, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, on October 22, 2024, objected to the respondents’ application and prayed the court to dismiss the applications for lacking merit.
Counsel to the 3rd and 7th defendant, M. N. Duru, SAN, equally raised an objection dated October 18, 2024, supported by a 14 paragraph affidavit and a written address where he urged the court to grant the application as prayed.
Counsel to the 5th defendant, Muhammad Shehu, also filed a motion on notice on preliminary objection dated October 18, 2024, and urged the court to grant the application with substantial costs against the complainant.
Counsel to the 6th respondent, Mr Abubakar Ahmad, filed a notice of preliminary objection dated September 9, 2024, supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit and a written address.
Also, counsel to the 8th defendant, Faruk Asekome, filed a notice of preliminary objection dated October 18, 2024, supported by a five-paragraph affidavit and a written address, urging the court to grant the application.
