The Kano State High Court has fixed the 29th of April, 2024 for hearing on whether respondents in the case between the Kano state government and former governor Abdullahi Ganduje along with five others can be served by substituted means.
In the case, which is presided over by Justice Usman Na’abba on Wednesday in Kano, the Prosecuting Counsel Ya’u Adamu sorter the court to allow respondents be served through substituted means.
He argued that they have the legal backing to serve the respondents through substituted experte according to their submission.
The counsels told the court that they made efforts to serve the respondents notice on motion but could not reach them. However, the counsel to the sith respondent was served the notice and not his client. Hence, they seak to serve them by substitute means.
The counsel to the sixth respondent, (Lamash Properties), Nuraini Jimoh argued that the law insists that in a criminal case, the respondent involved must be served personally.
He further said that even his client has not been served personally, thereby arguing that all the respondents need to be served personally as the case is not a civil case but a criminal case.
As a result of this, Justice Na’abba adjourned the case to the 29th of April for hearing insisting that the six respondents be served motion on notice personally.
It will be recalled that the Kano state government had sued the immediate past Governor of the state, Abdullahi Ganduje before the state High Court on cases bordering around corruption.
Earlier the Kano State Attorney General and Commissioner of Justice, Haruna Dederi, had confirmed to newsmen in Kano that Ganduje would be arraigned alongside his wife and six others.
The accused individuals, as listed in the writ of summon, include Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, Hafsat Umar, Abubakar Bawuro, Umar Abdullahi Umar, Jibrilla Muhammad, Lamash Properties Ltd, Safari Textiles Ltd, and Lesage General Enterprises.
The Kano State Government, had initiated the criminal suit against the respondents, with the intention to present 15 witnesses to testify before Justice Usman Na’aba of State High Court number four.
Concerning the allegations against the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) that they are the masterminds behind the Ganduje’s tribulations, the chairman of the party Hashimu Dungurawa, dismissed the claims saying, they have nothing to do with the APC in the same way as the former Kano governor declared that he has nothing to do with the Kwankwasiyya Movement.
“The truth here is that the APC are not being fair to their oppositions in any way. These patriotic young Ward leaders of the APC in Ganduje Ward, who were convinced of the corrupt acts of former governor Ganduje and how he is involved in bribery and corruption, they decided to save the image and integrity of the APC by suspending him from the party at the ward pending when it is clarified that he is innocent.
“This action of theirs is for the purpose of clearing the image and integrity of the APC which is affected by the corruption charges against the National Chairman of the party.
“They are disturbed by this problem despite their party having Senators, Rep members, state assembly members and others and yet the party is is faced with such calamity.
“These ward leaders are not happy with the way Ganduje has tarnished the image of the party in the state. He wrongly sold government property including schools, hospitals, market places and worship places.
“These young APC ward leaders are not happy with Ganduje at all. They now saw that the Kano state governor Abba Kabir Yusuf has opened investigations on the former governor and is seen to have a lot of skeletons in his cupboard, they decided to react which they did at the right time.
“They want him to be removed from the position of National Chairman pending the the completion of the cases and allegations against him. This will help the transparency in the process.
“They have done this at the right time such that the court has even issued and order to that effect. We wish to thank these young Ward leaders for their patriotism and call on them to also extend the same to all those involved in corrupt practices in their party.
“Concerning the issue of our leader Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso joining the APC, there is nothing the Ganduje will say that I will believe him except if he says there is only one God, I will believe that, but not any other thing.
“There is something Ganduje used to say that he will have nothing to do with the Kwankwasiyya Movement in his life again. In the same light I extend this message to him that we in the NNPP will have nothing to do with the APC in our lives as well. Onto them their deeds and onto us ours, everyone should go face his own.
“We have everything we need in our party and it is fast growing and we don’t need anything from them” he said.
On the other hand, an APC stalwart and three time Commissioner for Rural and Community Development, Musa Ilyasu Kwankwaso challenged Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to include former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso in his investigation of corruption to assure the people of Kano he is honest and transparent
He added that Kwankwaso had been indicted before by the Governor Ibrahim Shekaru’s administration and was charged with corruption.
“The issue on this case is that, Ganduje and his family are not in town and have not been served any notice. In a case considered as criminal not civil, you have to serve a person personally but non of them was served.
“More so, the Kano state Anti-corruption agency has not legal right to prosecute former governor Ganduje. It is only the Federal Government or the police or similar agency that can prosecute him, not a law enacted by the state Assembly.
“In addition to this, Ganduje was not served any notice personally. But when they are ready and they serve him, we will come and defend ourselves and tell them that they lack the jurisdiction to prosecute him at the level they are operating.
“Now that they have not been able to serve him personally the case has been moved to the 29th, and we are waiting for them to serve him personally as stipulated by the law.
“But all these are acts of deception by the state government trying to show the public that they are serious in fighting corruption.
“Meanwhile, Kwankwaso and group are ready to move to APC, but their problem is that they don’t want to come while Ganduje is the Chairman of the party, so they have to do away with him.
“They want to start by sending Abba Kabir Yusuf to the APC who will later on be joined by his boss Kwankwaso a year after. Their plan is that he will start by congesting under his party and then he will dump the contest and declare support for Bola Tinubu.
“He will then make case for becoming the number two man of the country to replace Kashim Shettima. This is their plan. President Tinubu should be very careful.
“We have nothing against the growth of the party but Kwankwaso should know that he cannot finish with Kashim Shettima. He should be very careful with his moves.
“On the issue of corruption, it is Kwankwaso that was first indicted by the Shekaru regime and a white paper was issued to that effect. He went to court to seek protection.
“If Abba Kabir is true to his words, he should also bring up charges against Kwankwaso and prosecute them along with Ganduje. By taking only on Ganduje, he is wasting the time of the people of Kano” he stated.
