A Kano State High Court presided over by Justice S.B Namalam on Monday ruled that Governor Abdullahi Ganduje of Kano State must pay the cost of N800,000 to the Daily Nigerian, and its publisher Jaafar Jaafar, as cost for expenses incurred in a court case the governor instituted over the controversial dollar bribery video.
The judge further ruled that Mr Ganduje may not have the right of audience before the court by the next adjourned day, if the governor fails to pay the N800,000 as ordered.
Counsel to Mr Ganduje, Lydia Oyewo, apologized to the court and promised to liaise with her client (Mr Ganduje) to comply with the order by making the payment as Ordered by the Hon Judge since 6/7/21.
Mr Ganduje had sued Mr Jaafar Jaafar and Daily Nigerian newspaper for releasing the video clips showing the governor stuffing his pockets with wads of dollars suspected to be a kickback from a contractor.
The governor through his counsel demanded Mr Jaafar pay him N3 billion for defamation of character.
Mr Ganduje, however abruptly filed an application through his counsel, Offiong Offiong, SAN on June 28 seeking to discontinue the court case, which he later filed in an Abuja High Court even as the Kano case is still ongoing.
Counsel to Mr Jaafar and Penlight Media Limited, U.U. Eteng and M.B. Dan’Azumi respectively, did not object to the application to discontinue the case but demanded N400 million as part of terms to discontinue the suit.
The court, however, ordered Mr Ganduje to pay the sum of N400,000 each to Messrs Jaafar and Daily Nigerian.
As Mr Ganduje is yet to comply with the order, the matter was adjourned to November 29 for further mention even as Penlight Media changed its counsel from Mr. Dan’Azumi to Mr. Abdul Mohammed, SAN.
The governor risks execution of the order on his bankers if he fails to comply.
