The trial of former Abdullahi Ganduje and his wife, Hafsat Umar, over alleged misappropriation of public funds running into billions of naira was on Wednesday stalled following an adjournment by a State High Court sitting in Kano.
The presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, adjourned the matter until October 14, 2026, for the hearing of a preliminary objection filed by one of the defendants.
Ganduje, alongside seven others, is facing an 11-count charge bordering on bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds.
Other defendants in the suit include Abubakar Bawuro, Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, as well as three firms—Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lasage General Enterprises Ltd.
At the resumed sitting, the prosecution counsel, Victor Oni, informed the court of the state’s readiness to proceed. He, however, sought leave to withdraw an earlier motion dated March 31, 2026, and replace it with a fresh application filed on May 15, 2026.
Oni told the court that the new motion was accompanied by a counter-affidavit and a written address in response to the preliminary objection and application for stay of proceedings filed by the sixth defendant.
Counsel to Ganduje, his wife, and son, Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, did not oppose the application, stating that the defence was ready to proceed.
Similarly, counsel representing other defendants raised no objections, signalling readiness for the hearing.
However, counsel to the sixth defendant, Abubakar Ahmad, drew the court’s attention to a pending preliminary objection, supported by a counter-affidavit and written address, and requested a date for its hearing.
Following submissions by counsel, Justice Adamu-Aliyu struck out the prosecution’s earlier motion and fixed October 14 for the hearing of the preliminary objection.
The case is part of a broader legal battle involving allegations of financial misconduct levelled against the former governor and his associates.
FOLLOW US
FOR MORE HERE
