By Joshua Tosin Ogunsakin 
A State High Court sitting in Kano, on Thursday, adjourned till April 15 hearing of all pending preliminary objections in the state government’s case against the national chairman of the All Progressive Congress, Abdullahi Ganduje alongside seven others, over alleged bribery and misappropriation of funds.
It would be recalled that the state government instituted a case against Ganduje, alongside his wife, Hafsat Umar and others bordering on bribery, misappropriation and diversion of public funds running into billions of naira.
Others joined in the suit are Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Limited, Safari Textiles Limited and Lasage General Enterprises Limited.
When the case came up for hearing of all pending applications, on Thursday, Counsel to the State Government, Mr Adeola Adedipe (SAN), told the court that he was ready to proceed.
Adedipe filed a motion on notice on Feb 5 seeking an extension of time to enable them to regularise the preliminary objection filed by the 1st, 2nd and 4th respondents.
Counsel to Ganduje, his wife and Umar, Mrs Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, told the court that she was ready to proceed.
Counsel to the third and seventh defendant, Mr Adekunle Taiye-Falola, informed the court that he was not ready to move his preliminary objection.
“My Lord, we filed our application for an extension of time, dated Dec 12, 2024, to reply to our further and better affidavit on points of law. We need to regularize our processes,” he said
Counsel to the fifth defendant, Mr Sunusi Musa (SAN) also filed a motion on notice for an extension of time on Jan 7 supported by 10 paragraphs of affidavits and a written address.
He urged the court to grant the application.
But counsel to the sixth respondent, Mr Abubakar Ahmed, told the court that he filed a notice of preliminary objection, dated Sept 9, 2024, supported by a nine-paragraph affidavit and was ready to proceed.
Also, counsel to the eight defendants, Ibrahim Aliyu-Nasarawa, informed the court that he was not ready to move his application, adding that he intended to file and reply on points of law.
After listening to their submissions, the presiding judge, Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu, granted all the applications for an extension of time.
Consequently, Adamu-Aliyu adjourned proceedings until April 15, 2025, for hearing of all pending preliminary objections.