The Federal High Court has dismissed a lawsuit seeking the removal of Ganduje as APC chairman, affirming his position within the party. Read more for insights.
A petition seeking Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje’s resignation from his position as the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman was dismissed by Justice Inyang Edem Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja.
The APC North Central Group brought the lawsuit, but it was dismissed for a number of reasons.
According to Justice Ekwo’s finding, the APC North Central Group does not have the legal ability to file the lawsuit because it is not a registered juristic person. He underlined that prior to filing a lawsuit, the plaintiffs did not attempt to resolve party disputes through internal channels.
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The judge also pointed out that the APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) appoints party officers, which is an internal matter outside the court’s purview. The North Central APC Group had contested Ganduje’s appointment, claiming that the absence of a democratic process meant it breached Article 13 of the APC Constitution.
The plaintiffs, lead by Saleh Zazzaga, argued that Ganduje’s appointment was unlawful since he was appointed to the position by a representative of the North Central geopolitical zone, whereas Kano State is located in the North West geopolitical zone.
The plaintiffs in the case with the case number FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024 asked the court to stop Ganduje from serving as the chairman of the APC and to stop the INEC from acknowledging any actions the APC has taken since August 3, 2023, when Ganduje took office.
In the end, Justice Ekwo declared that the action lacked a legal foundation and that the plaintiffs were not authorized to bring the lawsuit in any Nigerian court.
The court’s position on political parties’ internal governance is highlighted by the dismissal, which emphasizes the importance of following established constitutional procedures.
