Abuja, Sept. 23, 2024 (TheGavel) – A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a suit filed by the North Central APC Forum, led by Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, seeking the removal of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Inyang Ekwo, delivering the judgment on Monday, dismissed the suit on the grounds that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing (locus standi) to file the case. The judge ruled that the forum was not a recognized legal entity, as there was no evidence that it had been registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), and therefore, it was not known to the law.
Justice Ekwo also emphasized that the issue brought before the court related to the internal affairs of the APC, and as such, the APC National Chairman could only be appointed or removed through a national convention of the party. “The group is not a juristic person, and no credible evidence was presented before the court to show otherwise,” the judge stated.
The suit, filed under case number FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, sought to challenge Ganduje’s appointment on the grounds that he was from Kano State in the North West geopolitical zone, while the North Central APC Forum argued that the position of the APC National Chairman should be filled by someone from the North Central zone.
The plaintiff contended that Ganduje’s appointment was a violation of Article 31.5(1)f of the APC Constitution, which they claimed had been breached by the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC). The group argued that Sen. Abdullahi Adamu, the former chairman from Nasarawa State (North Central zone), should have been replaced by someone from the same geopolitical zone, not by Ganduje from the North West.
The plaintiff also sought an order restraining Ganduje from parading himself as the APC National Chairman and an injunction preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing any actions taken by the APC, including congresses, primaries, and nominations, since Ganduje assumed office on August 3, 2023.
Following the court’s ruling, Ayuba Abdul, the lawyer representing the North Central APC Forum, expressed dissatisfaction with the judgment and indicated that the group would appeal the decision. “We will appeal the decision,” Abdul said in an interview with reporters.
Alhaji Zazzaga, the leader of the group, echoed the same sentiments, stating, “I am not surprised by the way the judgment has gone. However, we will appeal the decision.”
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Justice Ekwo had initially scheduled the judgment for Sept. 18 but postponed it to Sept. 23 for final delivery.
(NAN)
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