The Kano High Court has postponed the hearing of all pending preliminary objections in the bribery and misappropriation case against APC chairman Abdullahi Ganduje and seven others until April 15, 2025.
The Kano State Government has filed an eight-count charge against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and others, accusing them of bribery, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds amounting to billions of naira.
The other defendants include Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
During Thursday’s court session, the prosecution counsel, Adeola Adedipe, expressed readiness to proceed. He had earlier filed a motion on February 5 seeking an extension of time to regularize a preliminary objection submitted by the first, second, and fourth defendants.
Ganduje’s lawyer, Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, also confirmed her readiness to proceed. However, Adekunle Taiye-Falola, representing the third and seventh defendants, stated that he was not prepared to move his preliminary objection.
He explained that they had filed an application for an extension of time on December 12, 2024, to respond to a further and better affidavit on points of law.
Similarly, Sunusi Musa, representing the fifth defendant, requested an extension of time in a motion filed on January 7, supported by a 10-paragraph affidavit and a written address. The sixth defendant’s lawyer, Abubakar Ahmed, had already filed a preliminary objection on September 9, 2024, and was ready to proceed.
Meanwhile, Ibrahim Aliyu-Nasarawa, representing the eighth defendant, told the court that he was not yet ready to move his application, as he intended to file and reply on points of law.
Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu granted all the applications for an extension of time and adjourned the case until April 15, 2025, for the hearing of all pending preliminary objections.
