Again, Court Adjourns Ganduje, Others’ Corruption Trial

A High Court sitting in Kano, on Wednesday, adjourned the trial of former governor of the state, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje, and seven others until February 3, 2026, for a hearing on all pending motions on their corruption trial.

LEADERSHIP reports that the Kano State Government has instituted an 11-count charge bordering on bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds running into billions of naira against Ganduje and his wife, Hafsat Umar.

Others charged alongside the former governor include Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.

The trial has suffered multiple adjournments, which have delayed the substantive hearing in the case.

When the matter came up for hearing on Wednesday, counsel for the state government, Jedidiah Akpata, informed the court that the prosecution was not ready to proceed and sought leave to file an application for an extension of time.

He informed the court that the state filed a motion dated November 19, 2025, and subsequently filed on November 20, 2025, seeking additional time to respond to the respondents’ motion for a stay of proceedings.

Akpata also filed another motion dated November 24 and filed on November 25 for extension of time to respond to the sixth respondent’s preliminary objection.

Counsel to Ganduje, his wife and son, Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, told the court that the defence was ready to proceed and did not oppose the prosecution’s application for extension of time.

Similarly, counsel for the 3rd and 7th defendants, Chief M. N. Duru, SAN, stated that his clients were ready for the hearing.

Counsel to the 5th defendant, Abdul Adamu-Fagge, SAN, also indicated readiness, despite an earlier application for stay of proceedings filed at the Court of Appeal.

Counsel to the 6th respondent, Abubakar Ahmad, and counsel to the 8th defendant, Abdulrazaq A. Ahmed, also informed the court that they were ready to proceed.

In her ruling, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu granted the prosecution’s application for extension of time and adjourned the matter to February 3, 2026, for the hearing of all pending motions.