‘Ganduje is Valid APC Chairman,’ – Fed High Court Rules
The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court dismissed the suit seeking the removal of Abdullahi Ganduje as the All Progressives Congress national chairman.
Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a judgment, dismissed the suit on the ground that the plaintiff, the North Central APC Forum, led by Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, had no locus to. have instituted the suit.
Justice Ekwo, who held that no credible evidence was presented before the court to show that the group was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, said the name was not known to law.
The judge further held that the group is not a juristic person as the issue brought before the court bordered on the internal affairs of the APC.
He said the party’s national chairman could only be appointed or removed through a national convention.
The judge had, on September 18, fixed today for the judgment after it could not be delivered.
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The plaintiff, the North-Central APC Forum, had filed the suit to query the propriety of Ganduje’s appointment as the chairman of the APC when he is not from the North Central geo-political zone.
In the FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024 suit, the plaintiff listed Ganduje, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission as first to third defendants, respectively.
The plaintiff asked the court to, among others, restrain Ganduje from further parading himself as the chairman of the APC.
The group also prayed the court to issue an order directing INEC not to accord recognition to all actions taken by the APC, including congresses, primaries and nominations, since Ganduje became APC Chairman on August 3, 2023.
It argued that the party breached the APC constitution when it appointed Ganduje, from Kano State in the North-West geo-political zone, to replace Sen. Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North-Central geo-political zone.
It also argued that Mr Ganduje’s appointment to replace Mr Adamu was contrary to Article 31.5(1) f of the APC constitution and ultra vires the powers of the NEC of the party, among other reliefs.
(NAN)
