N’Central APC rejects ruling on Ganduje’s chairmanship

The North Central All Progressives Congress Forum announced on Tuesday that it would challenge the ruling of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which dismissed its suit seeking the removal of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the party.

The forum earlier brought Ganduje, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission before the court, seeking the nullification of Ganduje’s appointment as the national chairman of the party.

Ganduje was appointed national chairman of the party after the resignation of the erstwhile national chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, in July 2023, shortly after President Bola Tinubu was sworn in.

Adamu, from Nasarawa State in the North-Central geopolitical zone, was replaced by Ganduje, from Kano State in the North-West geopolitical zone.

The appointment of Ganduje sparked outrage among the North-Central chieftains of the party who demanded that the slot be retained in the zone.

The North-Central APC took Ganduje, APC and INEC to court and their case was struck out on Monday.

Justice Inyang Ekwo struck out the suit because the forum was not a juristic person registered in law and, therefore, had no legal power to file it.

Furthermore, Ekwo submitted that the plaintiff failed to explore the internal mechanism for peaceful resolution of disputes before rushing to the court, pointing out that the appointment of APC officers by its National Executive Committee is an internal affair of the party, which no court could dabble into.

Not satisfied, the chairman, Saleh Zazzaga, said the forum would appeal the judgment, noting that the group’s lawyer had already been instructed to file an appeal.

Zazzaga told newsmen in Jos, Plateau State, “One vital thing we are seeking from the court is the interpretation of the party’s 2022 constitution as amended and the zoning arrangement, but that wasn’t done.

He added, “We will pursue this cause to a legal and logical conclusion, while we will also continue our strategy with the party chieftains and stakeholders from the region for the rights, privileges and benefit of the region within the APC structure and the APC administration in general.

“The earlier the President and the party realise that remaining in office by Ganduje is retrogression for the party and will incur legal liabilities for the party, the better.

“Apart from that, we believe that the party will not want to trade the entire North Central region for Ganduje. The party should do the needful.”

The forum said Ganduje’s appointment violated the party’s constitution 2022, as amended including the zoning arrangement of the party for chairmanship positions from the North Central and not the North West region where Ganduje belongs.

The forum further contended that Ganduje’s appointment breached Article 13 of the APC Constitution because it did not comply with the democratic process, as enshrined in the party’s law.