A Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the suit seeking the removal of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled that the plaintiff, the North Central APC Forum, led by Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, lacked the legal standing to file the suit.
Justice Ekwo stated that the group failed to provide credible evidence of registration with the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), declaring it a non-juristic entity and emphasizing that matters regarding the party’s leadership are internal affairs. He noted that the appointment or removal of the APC national chairman can only occur during a national convention.
The group’s lawyer, Ayuba Abdul, expressed intentions to appeal the judgment, with Zazzaga supporting this stance. The suit questioned the legitimacy of Ganduje’s appointment, citing concerns that he does not belong to the North Central geopolitical zone.
Filed under case number FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, the plaintiff sought to prevent Ganduje from continuing as chairman and to bar the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing any APC actions since his appointment on August 3, 2023. They argued that Ganduje’s appointment violated the APC constitution and exceeded the National Executive Committee’s (NEC) authority.