In a recent ruling, Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed a lawsuit aimed at ousting Abdullahi Ganduje from his position as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Daily Report Nigeria reports that the suit, brought forward by the APC North Central Group, was rejected on multiple grounds.
Ekwo determined that the APC North Central Group lacks legal standing, as it is not a juristic entity and is not registered under the law. Consequently, it does not possess the legal authority to initiate such a lawsuit.
In addition, the judge disclosed that the plaintiffs had not exhausted the party’s internal mechanisms for resolving disputes before approaching the court.
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The judge further asserted that the appointment of party officials by the APC’s National Executive Committee is an internal matter, beyond the jurisdiction of the court.
Recall that the APC North Central Group had sought to nullify Ganduje’s appointment, alleging it violated the party’s constitution, specifically Article 13, which mandates a democratic process for such appointments.
Led by Saleh Zazzaga, the North Central APC Forum argued that Ganduje’s appointment was improper as he is not from the North Central geo-political zone, which was supposed to fill the position.
The plaintiffs requested the court to prevent Ganduje from continuing to act as the APC chairman and to instruct the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) not to recognise any actions taken by the APC since Ganduje’s appointment on August 3, 2023.
