The Kano State High Court has postponed the trial of former Kano State Governor and former APC National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje, and seven co-defendants until October 14, 2026.
Key Highlight:
- The Kano State High Court has adjourned the trial of former Abdullahi Ganduje and seven co-defendants until October 14, 2026.
- Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and six others are facing an 11-count charge bordering on alleged bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of billions of naira in public funds.
- During the proceedings, the prosecution sought and obtained permission to withdraw an earlier motion and replace it with a fresh application following objections raised by one of the defendants.
- Counsel representing the defendants expressed varying positions on the matter, while the sixth defendant insisted that the court should hear his preliminary objection.
- Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu adjourned the case to hear the sixth defendant’s preliminary objection before the substantive trial can proceed.
Ganduje is facing an 11-count charge alongside his wife, Hafsat Umar, and six other defendants over allegations of bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation and diversion of public funds amounting to billions of naira.
The other defendants named in the suit include Abubakar Bawuro, Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, as well as Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
During proceedings on Wednesday, the prosecution, led by Victor Oni, informed the court that it was prepared to continue with the case. However, the prosecution requested permission to withdraw an earlier motion filed on March 31, 2026, and substitute it with a fresh application dated May 15, 2026.
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According to the prosecution, the new motion was necessitated by a preliminary objection and an application seeking a stay of proceedings filed by the sixth defendant.
Counsel representing Ganduje, his wife and son, Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, raised no objection to the prosecution’s request. Lawyers representing the third, fifth, seventh and eighth defendants also expressed readiness to proceed with the matter.
However, counsel to the sixth defendant, Abubakar Ahmad, informed the court that a preliminary objection, counter-affidavit and written address had already been filed, urging the court to fix a date for the hearing of the application.
After listening to submissions from all parties, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu struck out the prosecution’s earlier motion and adjourned the matter to October 14, 2026, for the hearing of the sixth defendant’s preliminary objection.
The case revolves around allegations of financial misconduct involving billions of naira allegedly committed during Ganduje’s administration as governor of Kano State. The defendants have denied wrongdoing, and the court is expected to determine key preliminary issues before the substantive trial proceeds.
