Court Dismisses Suit to Sack Ganduje as APC National Chairman

On Sep 23, 2024

By Charles Ogba, Abuja

A federal high court in Abuja has dismissed a suit seeking the removal of Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC.

The presiding judge, Justice Iyang Ekwo dismissed the suit on the ground that the Plaintiff, the North Central APC Forum led by Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, had no locus standi and juristic personality to have instituted the suit.

Justice Ekwo held that no credible evidence was presented before the court to show that the group was registered with the Corporate Affairs Commission, CAC and the name was not known to law.

“The claimant does not exist in law.The claimant failed to take into consideration how juristic personality is acquired. I make an order of dismissing the suit for lack of juristic personality,” he said.

The Judge held that the issue brought before the court bordered on the internal affairs of the APC and the party’s national chairman could only be appointed or removed through a national convention.

Justice Ekwo had, on September 18, fixed September 23 for the judgment after it could not be delivered.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, the North Central APC Forum, led by the plaintiff, queried the propriety of Ganduje’s appointment as the chair of the party since he is not from any state in the north-central geopolitical zone.

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

The suit 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 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 Sen. Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North Central geo-political zone.

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

Confidence Okwuchi