The long-running legal battle involving former Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Ganduje, took another twist on Wednesday after proceedings were stalled at a Kano State High Court, forcing the case to be adjourned until October 14, 2026.
Ganduje, who is facing allegations of bribery, conspiracy and the diversion of public funds, appeared before the court alongside several co-defendants in a case that has continued to draw public attention since charges were first filed.
Courtroom Drama Over Fresh Applications
When the matter came up before Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, the prosecution indicated its readiness to move forward with the trial.
However, proceedings took a different turn after the state’s counsel, Victor Oni, requested permission to withdraw an earlier motion filed on March 31, 2026, and replace it with a new application dated May 15.
According to the prosecution, the fresh filing was necessary to address issues raised in a preliminary objection and an application seeking a stay of proceedings brought by one of the defendants.
The request was not opposed by the defence team, with lawyers representing Ganduje, members of his family and other defendants informing the court that they were prepared to continue with the hearing.
Defendants Maintain Readiness
Among those standing trial alongside the former governor are his wife, Hafsat Umar, as well as Abubakar Bawuro, Abdullahi Umar and Jibrilla Muhammad.
Three companies — Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lasage General Enterprises Limited — are also listed as defendants in the 11-count charge.
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Defence counsel for the sixth defendant informed the court that a preliminary objection, supporting documents and written submissions had already been filed, urging the court to fix a date for hearing the application.
Other defence lawyers similarly indicated their readiness to proceed.
Judge Fixes New Date
After considering the submissions from both sides, Justice Adamu-Aliyu struck out the prosecution’s earlier motion and accepted the withdrawal request.
The judge subsequently adjourned the matter until October 14, 2026, when the court is expected to hear and determine the sixth defendant’s preliminary objection.
The latest adjournment means the highly anticipated trial over allegations involving billions of naira in public funds will remain on hold for several more months, extending a case that continues to attract significant political and public interest in Kano and beyond.