A Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled September 23, 2024, for the ruling on a suit aimed at ousting Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
During the previous hearing on July 5, presiding Judge Justice Inyang Ekwo had intended to deliver the judgment on September 18. However, the matter was absent from the Court’s cause list today.
Upon inquiry, it was clarified that the judgment was not ready, and the court registrar had previously informed the parties involved of the new date.
“We have already contacted the parties to inform them of the development. The new date is now set for next week, September 23,” officials stated.
The North Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, filed the suit represented by their attorney, Benjamin Davou, challenging the legitimacy of Ganduje’s appointment as Chairman of the APC, arguing that he is not from the North Central geo-political zone.
In the case marked FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, the plaintiffs requested the court to bar Ganduje from officially representing himself as the APC chairman.
They contended that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC violated the party’s constitution by appointing Ganduje, hailing 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.
Furthermore, they argued that Ganduje’s appointment contravened Article 31.5(1) f of the APC constitution and exceeded the NEC’s authority, among other requests.
The plaintiffs asserted that Ganduje is unlawfully occupying the office of APC chairman since he is not from a state within the North Central geo-political zone.
They also requested the court to issue an order preventing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing any actions taken by the APC — including congresses, primaries, and nominations — occurring after Ganduje assumed the position of APC Chairman on August 3, 2023.
The plaintiffs identified Ganduje, the APC, and the INEC as the 1st to 3rd respondents in the suit.
