Kano Court Upholds Jurisdiction in Ganduje Bribery Case, Trial to Proceed

 Ganduje’s Jurisdiction Challenge Dismissed

In a pivotal development, the Kano Court has dismissed the application filed by former Kano State Governor and current National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the bribery and misappropriation case against him. The court’s decision clears the path for the trial to proceed.

Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, presiding over the case, ruled that the preliminary objections raised by Ganduje and other defendants were incompetent and lacked merit. Consequently, the court affirmed its jurisdiction to hear the charges filed on May 13, 2024, and scheduled the trial to continue on July 30 and 31, 2025.

The Kano State Government has brought 11 counts against Ganduje, his wife Hafsat, son Umar, and five others, alleging bribery totaling $413,000 and misappropriation of N1.38 billion. The other defendants include Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.

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Legal Proceedings and Defense Arguments

The defense, led by Mrs. Lydia Oyewo, filed a preliminary objection dated November 18, 2024, challenging the court’s jurisdiction and seeking to have all charges quashed. In response, the prosecution, represented by Adeola Adedipe (SAN), filed a counter-application dated October 22, 2024, urging the court to dismiss the preliminary objections for lacking merit.

Counsel for the third and seventh defendants, M.N. Duru (SAN), submitted a motion on notice dated October 18, 2024, supported by a 14-paragraph affidavit and a written address, asking the court to uphold their application. Similarly, counsel for the fifth defendant, Muhammad Shehu, filed a motion dated October 18, 2024, and urged the court to grant it with substantial costs against the complainant.

Abubakar Ahmad, representing the sixth defendant, filed a preliminary objection dated September 9, 2024, supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit. Additionally, counsel for the eighth defendant, Faruk Asekome, filed a notice of preliminary objection dated October 18, 2024, supported by a five-paragraph affidavit and written address, also seeking dismissal of the charges.

Justice Adamu-Aliyu, however, ruled that the objections lacked merit and cleared the way for the trial to proceed.

Implications and Next Steps

The court’s decision to dismiss the jurisdictional challenge signifies a significant step in the legal proceedings against Ganduje and his co-defendants. The trial, scheduled to resume on July 30 and 31, 2025, will delve into the substantive issues of the case.

This development underscores the judiciary’s commitment to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that public officials are held accountable for their actions. As the trial progresses, it will be closely watched by legal experts, political analysts, and the public, given its potential implications for governance and anti-corruption efforts in Nigeria.