The Kano State Governor, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the state Attorney General ad Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Ibrahim Mukhtar, yesterday challenged the jurisdiction of a Federal High Court sitting in Kano to stop the probe of allegation of land scam levelled against the dethroned Emir Muhammad Sanusi II.
The state counsel, Khalifa A. Hashim representing Ganduje and the Attorney General filed the application challenging the jurisdiction of the court on March 17, 2020.
The former Kano monarch had on March 6, 2020 approached the court with an exparte motion against the Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission (1st respondent), Muhyi Magaji Rimingado, Attorney General of Kano State and the governor as 2nd, 3rd and 4th respondents respectively seeking that the court restrain the 1st and 2nd respondents (Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission and its Chairman, Muhyi Magaji Rimingado respectively) from investigating the affairs (the applicant), pending the hearing of originating motion in which the court granted the order and adjourned till March 18, 2020.
When the case came up for hearing yesterday, deposed Emir Sanusi’s lawyer, Mr. Nasir Dangiri (SAN) informed the court about the application filed by Ganduje and Mukhtar joined in the case as 3rd and 4th respondents respectively, challenging the jurisdiction of the court to hear the case.
Dangiri, however, sought for extension of time to respond to the application filed by the duo of Ganduje and the AG, Mukhtar.
The judge, Justice Lewis Allagoa, however adjourned the case till March 23, 2020 for hearing of the motion, challenging the jurisdiction of the court and to also hear the originating motion pending before the court.
Hashim was the counsel for the Attorney General and Governor (3rd and 4th applicant) while Usman Fari led other counsel to represent 1st and 2nd respondents (Kano State Public Complaint and Anti-Corruption Commission and it Chairman, Muhyi Magaji Rimingado respectively) in the case.
