From Murtala Adewale, Kano
National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, wife, Dr Hafsat Umar Ganduje, son, Umar Abdullahi Ganduje, have challenged the jurisdiction of Kano High Court in the alleged criminal misappropriation preferred against them by the state government.
In an amended 11-count charge instituted by the state government, the former governor, two members of his immediate family, and five others are being accused of bribery, misappropriation and diversion of public funds running into billions of naira. Others defendants are Abubakar Bawuro, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
The charges filed by the complainant, read: “Kano State government on your (Ganduje) instruction and approval asked one of the receivers of USSD 120,000 from a beneficiary of a contract awarded by Kano State government, contrary to and punishable under Section 22 of the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission Law 2008 (as amended) Law No. 2 of 2009.
“That on February 10, 2017, Abdullahi Ganduje dishonestly and/or corruptly to your own advantage collected a kick-back of the sum of USSD 213,000 being money generated from people and entities seeking or holding the execution of Kano State government contract or project for the remoldelling of Kantin-Kwari textile market as bribe through one of the contractors.”
At the resumed hearing of the case before Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, Ganduje, wife and son, through their lawyer, Offiong Offiong (SAN), moved a preliminary objection with 18 paragraphs affidavit dated November 18, 2024, to challenge the jurisdiction of the court to hear the matter.
Offiong had earlier pleaded for motion on notice for an extension of time to file his counter affidavit on point of law against the complainant’s affidavit.
Offiong, who could not rely within the time laps cited inability to obtain his clients’ instruction.
In a counter argument, counsel to Kano Anti-Corruption, Adeola Adedipe (SAN), urged the court to dismiss Ganduje’s application for lack of merit. In his seven paragraphs counter affidavit dated December 13, 2024, Adedipe insisted that the respondents’ applications should be discountenanced.
The presiding judge granted the application for an extension of time. Justice Adamu-Aliyu thereafter adjourned the matter for ruling on the notices of preliminary objection to a date that would be communicated to the parties.
