A Kano State High Court on Tuesday dismissed a motion filed by the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, challenging the court’s jurisdiction to hear the 11-count corruption charge brought against him and seven others.

The ruling was delivered by Justice Amina Adamu Aliyu, who declared that the preliminary objections raised by Ganduje and his co-defendants were “incompetent” and lacked merit.

Justice Aliyu, presiding over the case, confirmed that the court had the authority to hear the charges, which include allegations of bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds amounting to billions of naira.

The judge emphasised the legitimacy of the case, stating, “The charges before this court are competent. The power to investigate criminal matters does not reside solely with the police. The Kano State Public Complaints and Anti-Corruption Commission is equally empowered under the law.”

In a critical move, the judge ruled that the trial would continue even in the absence of Ganduje and the other six defendants.

Furthermore, she summoned Lamash Properties Limited, the sixth defendant in the case, and adjourned the proceedings to July 30 and 31 for further hearing.

The accused include Ganduje’s wife, Prof. Hafsat Umar, as well as other individuals and companies, including Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Safari Textiles Limited, Lasage General Enterprises Limited, and Lamash Properties Limited.

Their involvement in the alleged corruption case is under intense scrutiny, with each facing allegations linked to the mismanagement of public funds.

In response to the preliminary objections, Adeola Adedipe, SAN, counsel for the state, urged the court to dismiss all applications filed by the defense, describing them as “deliberate attempts to frustrate the trial.”

Adedipe argued that the objections lacked legal foundation and called for the court to proceed with the case and allow justice to take its full course.

Ganduje’s legal team, led by Lydia Oluwakemi Oyewo, had filed a preliminary objection on November 18, 2024, seeking to quash the charges and halt the trial, citing the lack of jurisdiction by the court.

Similar motions were filed by counsels for the third, fifth, sixth, and eighth defendants—Chief M. N. Duru, Mr. Muhammad Shehu, Mr. Abubakar Ahmad, and Mr. Faruk Asekome—between September and October 2024, all challenging the legitimacy of the charges and the competence of the court.

Despite the objections, Justice Aliyu ruled that “None of the applications have merit. The case must proceed in line with due process.”