The Kano State High Court has granted an order allowing the service of court documents to the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, his wife Hafsat, and five others through substituted means.
This decision comes in the wake of allegations against the respondents involving bribery, fund diversion, and misappropriation of funds amounting to billions of naira.
The case, initiated by the Kano State government, lists Ganduje as the 1st respondent and his wife, Hafsat, as the 2nd respondent.
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Other respondents include Abubakar Bawuro (3rd respondent), Umar Abdullahi Umar (4th respondent), Jibrilla Muhammad (5th respondent), Safari Textiles Ltd. (7th respondent), and Lesage General Enterprises (8th respondent).
Presiding over the court proceedings, Justice Amina Adamu granted the substituted service order following an application by Zahradeen Kofar-Mata, standing in for the lead prosecution counsel, Ya’u Adamu, Esq.
The application was necessitated after the 6th respondent’s counsel, Nureini Jimoh SAN, challenged the appearance of Ya’u Adamu on grounds that the fiat, a legal authorization, was given to a specific individual and not to Adamu.
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Addressing the court, Ya’u Adamu stated, “I have my fiat, but it is not here with me since I didn’t anticipate this. Since my appearance has been challenged, Bar. Zahradeen Kofar-Mata will move the application on the motion ex parte. My lord, Kofar-Mata, has a fiat to appear concerning financial crime. I urge the court to allow us to move this motion.”
Subsequently, Kofar-Mata moved the motion ex parte dated May 29, supported by a seven-paragraph affidavit, requesting to serve the respondents through publication in two national newspapers with wide circulation.
Despite objections from Jimoh, Justice Adamu overruled and granted the order, allowing the respondents to be served through substituted means via publication in two widely circulated national dailies.
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Justice Adamu adjourned the matter to July 11, 2024, for a hearing and instructed all parties to present their fiats to the court.
This ruling marks a pivotal point in the legal proceedings against Ganduje and the co-respondents, intensifying the scrutiny of the alleged financial misconduct and setting the stage for the upcoming court session in July.