A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday has dismissed a suit seeking the removal of Abdullahi Ganduje as the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
The judgment delivered by Inyang Ekwo, the presiding judge, posited that the suit was premature and the issues raised were within the purview of the internal affairs of the political party.
Ekwo also said the group failed to show genuine evidence that it was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and therefore lacked the locus to have instituted the suit.
In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, the North Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, debated Ganduje’s appointment as the chair of the party since he is not from any state in the north-central geopolitical zone.
Their argument is that the national executive committee (NEC) of the APC breached the party’s constitution when it appointed Ganduje, from Kano state in the north-west geopolitical zone, to replace Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa state in the north-central geopolitical zone.
They also said that Ganduje’s appointment to replace Abdullahi was contrary to Article 31.5(1F) of the APC constitution and ultra vires the powers of the NEC of the party, among other reliefs.
The plaintiff’s request to the court was to bar Ganduje from further parading himself as the chair of the APC while seeking an order directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to accord recognition to all actions taken by the APC, including congresses, primaries and nominations — since Ganduje became APC chair on August 3, 2023.
Ayuba Abdul, the cousel to the plaintiff who spoke with journalists after the court session said the judgement would be appealed.
