Kehinde Fajobi
A Kano State High Court has scheduled February 13, 2025, for the hearing of all pending preliminary objections in the bribery and misappropriation case against the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, and seven others.
The Kano State government had filed an eight-count charge alleging bribery and diversion of public funds worth billions of naira against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and five others, including Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
At Wednesday’s hearing, Ganduje’s counsel, M.N. Duru, SAN, requested the withdrawal of their October 21 application, citing plans to proceed with a newer application filed on November 18.
Duru stated, “My lord, we urge the court to strike out this application. We intend to proceed with a new application dated November 18 instead.”
However, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, representing the applicant, objected to the withdrawal, urging the court to dismiss the application instead.
“We have filed our counter-affidavit dated November 15, 2024. We also filed two additional counter-affidavits and responses dated October 18 and October 21,” Adedipe argued.
Other defendants’ counsels also detailed their filings, with requests for adjournments and amendments to affidavits.
Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu overruled the objections, struck out Ganduje’s application, and adjourned the case for the consolidated hearing of preliminary objections.