The protracted trial of former Kano State Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and seven co-defendants was on Wednesday adjourned yet again by a Kano State High Court, with all pending motions now slated for hearing on February 3, 2026.
Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and other defendants are facing an 11-count charge brought by the Kano State Government, including allegations of bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds running into billions of naira.
Other defendants include Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited, and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
Prosecution Cites Unpreparedness
During Wednesday’s hearing on all pending motions, counsel to the State Government, Jedidiah Akpata, informed the court that the prosecution was not ready to proceed.
“My Lord, we are not ready to proceed. We seek the leave of the court to move our application for extension of time,” Akpata said.
He explained that he had filed two motions seeking extensions: one to respond to the respondents’ motion for stay of proceedings dated November 19, 2025, and another to respond to the sixth respondent’s preliminary objection dated November 24, 2025.
Defence Teams Ready to Proceed
Despite the prosecution’s request, defence counsel for several defendants affirmed their readiness to continue.
Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, representing Ganduje, his wife, and his son, told the court: “My Lord, we are ready. We are not opposing the prosecution’s motion for extension of time.”
Similarly, Chief M. N. Duru (SAN), representing the 3rd and 7th defendants, stated: “We are also ready to proceed, My Lord.”
Other defence lawyers, including Mr. Abdul Adamu-Fagge (SAN), representing the 5th defendant, noted that although an application for a stay of proceedings had been filed at the Court of Appeal, they were prepared to move forward. Counsel to the 6th and 8th defendants also confirmed their readiness.
Another Adjournment Granted
After considering submissions, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu granted the prosecution’s application for an extension of time and adjourned the trial. The court ruled that all pending motions will be heard on February 3, 2026.
The high-profile trial has faced multiple adjournments, largely due to procedural issues, further delaying substantive proceedings in a case closely watched across the nation.
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