The High Court in Kano State has once again shifted the trial of former governor Abdullahi Ganduje and seven other defendants, moving the proceedings to February 3, 2026.
The adjournment marks yet another delay in the high-profile corruption case filed by the Kano State Government, which has struggled to progress amid repeated requests for additional time.
Ganduje, his wife Hafsat Umar, and several associates—both individuals and corporate entities—are standing trial on an 11-count charge that includes allegations of bribery, conspiracy, misappropriation, and diversion of public funds amounting to several billions of naira.
The charges stem from investigations initiated after the end of Ganduje’s tenure, with the state alleging long-running financial irregularities involving government resources.
When the case was called on Wednesday, the prosecution signalled it was not prepared to proceed. Counsel to the state government, Jedidiah Akpata, informed Justice Amina Adamu-Aliyu that the legal team needed more time to respond to various pending applications filed by the defence.
Akpata submitted two motions seeking extensions—one relating to a stay of proceedings request filed by some respondents, and another addressing the sixth defendant’s preliminary objection.
In contrast, the defence teams appeared ready to move forward. Lydia Oluwakemi-Oyewo, representing Ganduje, his wife, and their son, told the court that they were prepared to proceed and did not oppose the prosecution’s request for additional time.
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Counsel for the 3rd and 7th defendants, Chief M. N. Duru (SAN), also affirmed readiness, while the lawyer for the 5th defendant, Abdul Adamu-Fagge (SAN), maintained the same position even though his clients had an active appeal seeking a stay of the trial at the Court of Appeal.
Lawyers for the remaining defendants similarly told the court they had no objections and were prepared to continue with the matter.
With all parties aligned on the request, Justice Adamu-Aliyu granted the prosecution an extension of time and fixed February 3, 2026, as the new date for hearing all pending motions.
The judge noted that the case has experienced several adjournments on similar procedural grounds, a trend that has stalled substantive progress on the corruption allegations.
Despite the renewed timeline, the court is expected to face the same web of applications, counter-applications, and objections that have complicated the proceedings since the trial began.
The adjournment extends what has become one of the most closely watched corruption cases in the country, with many observers waiting to see whether the charges will eventually advance to full trial or remain mired in procedural delays.
