Federal High Court Seeking-Removal Of APC Chairman Ganduje On June-26 (Details)

Federal High Court Seeking-Removal Of APC Chairman Ganduje On June-26 (Details)

A Federal High Court in Abuja ruled on Thursday, June 13, that it will hear on June 26 the suit seeking to sack the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Ganduje, along with the objection raised against the competence of the suit.

Justice Inyang Ekwo gave the ruling following a request by the lawyer to the plaintiff, the North Central APC Forum, Benjamin Favour, for additional time to reply to the responses filed by Ganduje.

The North Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, filed the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, questioning the propriety of Ganduje’s appointment as APC Chairman since he is not from the North Central geo-political zone. Listed as defendants in the case are Ganduje, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

At the hearing, Davou, representing the plaintiffs, stated that the suit could not proceed as Ganduje’s lawyer, Raymond Asikeni, had just served a notice of preliminary objection and a counter affidavit. Davou promised to file a reply to these documents promptly.

Justice Ekwo adjourned the hearing to June 26, stating that the preliminary objection and the substantive suit would be addressed together. The judge added that the absence of any party on the hearing date would result in their processes being deemed adopted.

The plaintiffs are seeking to restrain Ganduje from acting as APC Chairman and are urging the court to direct INEC not to recognize actions taken by the APC since Ganduje’s appointment on August 3, 2023. They argue that Ganduje’s appointment violates the APC’s constitution, which they claim mandates the chairman to be from the North Central zone.

The North Central APC Forum asserts that the National Executive Committee breached the party’s constitution by appointing Ganduje from Kano State in the North West zone to replace Senator Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North Central zone. They contend that this appointment is contrary to Article 31.5(1) of the APC constitution, which they interpret as requiring the replacement of an officer with a member from the same zone as the predecessor.

The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare Ganduje’s appointment illegal and to set it aside, insisting that the APC National Convention is the only authority that can elect or remove the National Chairman. They also seek orders to prevent INEC from recognizing actions taken by the APC under Ganduje’s leadership and to compel the APC to conduct a fresh convention to elect a new chairman from the North Central zone.

Saleh Zazzaga, representing the North Central APC Forum, emphasized that the suit aims to ensure fairness and justice within the party. He warned that failure to address the issue could lead to internal conflicts, potentially benefiting the party’s opponents.