Court fixes date to deliver judgement in suit seeking Ganduje’s removal

The Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed 18 September for judgment in a suit seeking the removal of Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The judge, Inyang Ekwo, fixed the date on Friday after counsel for the plaintiff, Benjamin Davou, and lawyers to the defence adopted their processes and made their submissions for and against the case.

The plaintiff – the North Central APC Forum led by Saleh Zazzaga – had filed the suit to query the propriety of Mr Ganduje’s appointment as the chairman of the APC when he is not from the North Central geo-political zone.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, the plaintiff sued Mr Ganduje, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as the defendants.

The plaintiff asked the court to, among others, restrain Mr Ganduje from further parading himself as the chairman of the APC.

It also prayed the court to issue an order directing the INEC not to accord recognition to all actions taken by the APC, including congresses, primaries and nominations, since Mr Ganduje became the APC chairman on 3 August 2023.

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The plaintiff contended, among others, that Mr Ganduje is occupying the office of the APC chairman illegally because he is not from a state in the North Central geo-political zone.

It argued 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 geo-political zone to replace Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North-central geo-political zone.

It also argued that Mr Ganduje’s appointment to replace Abdullahi was contrary to Article 31.5(1) (f) of the APC constitution and ultra-vires the powers of the NEC of the party.

Mr Davou, while adopting the processes filed on behalf of the plaintiff, prayed the court to grant their prayers.

Mr Ganduje’s lawyer, Abdul Adamu; APC’s counsel, Isiaka Dikko, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), and their INEC counterpart, Ahmed Mohammed, while adopting their separate counter-affidavits and preliminary objections, urged the court to dismiss the suit.

Mr Ekwo adjourned the matter until 18 September for judgment.

(NAN)