Alleged Misappropriation: Court fixes date to hear preliminary objections in Ganduje, wife, 6 others’ case

A Kano State High Court has fixed April 15 for the hearing of all pending preliminary objections from counsels involved in the ongoing case of alleged bribery and misappropriation against the National Chairman of the All-Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, wife, Hafsat and 6 others.

SolaceBase reports that the state government instituted an eight-count charge against Ganduje, his wife, Hafsat Umar, and 6 others, bordering on bribery, misappropriation, and the diversion of public funds running into billions of naira.

Other defendants in the case include Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.

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When the case came up for the hearing of all pending applications on Thursday, counsel for the state, Mr Adeola Adedipe, SAN, told the court that he was ready to proceed.

Adedipe filed a motion on notice, dated February 2 and served on February 5, 2025, seeking an extension of time to enable them to regularize their preliminary objection filed by the 1st, 2nd, and 4th respondents.

Counsel for Ganduje, his wife, and Umar, Mrs. Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, told the court that they were ready to proceed.

Counsel for the 3rd and 7th defendants, Mr. Adekunle Taiye-Falola, informed the court that he was not ready to move his preliminary objection.

“My lord, we filed our application for an extension of time, dated December 12, 2024, to reply to our further and better affidavit on points of law. We need to regularize our processes,” he said.

Counsel for the 5th defendant, Mr. Sunusi Musa, SAN, also filed a motion on notice for an extension of time, dated and filed January 7, 2025, supported by 10 paragraphs and a written address. He urged the court to grant the application.

Counsel for the 6th respondent, Mr. Abubakar Ahmed, told the court that he had filed a notice of preliminary objection dated September 9, supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit, and was ready to proceed.

Similarly, counsel for the 8th defendant, Ibrahim Aliyu-Nasarawa, told the court that he was not ready to move his application, adding that he intended to file and reply on points of law.

The presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, granted all the applications for an extension of time.

Justice Adamu-Aliyu adjourned the matter until April 15, 2025, for the hearing of all pending preliminary objections.