The Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled June 26 to hear a lawsuit challenging the appointment of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC).
Justice Inyang Ekwo set the date after the plaintiff’s lawyer, Benjamin Davou, requested additional time to respond to Ganduje’s preliminary objection.
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The lawsuit, filed by the North Central APC Forum led by Saleh Zazzaga, questions the legality of Ganduje’s appointment, arguing it violates the party’s constitution since Ganduje hails from Kano State in the North West, rather than the North Central geo-political zone.
The suit is identified as FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024 and lists Ganduje, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants.
During the hearing on Thursday, Davou noted that he had just received Ganduje’s preliminary objection and counter affidavit, necessitating more time to respond.
Consequently, Justice Ekwo adjourned the case until June 26, stating that the preliminary objection and the main suit would be heard simultaneously.
He also noted that any party absent on that date would have their documents considered as adopted.
The plaintiff’s main suit seeks to prevent Ganduje from continuing as APC chairman and requests an order for INEC to disregard all actions taken by the APC under Ganduje’s leadership since his appointment on August 3, 2023.
The Forum contends that Ganduje’s appointment contravenes Article 31.5(1)(f) of the APC constitution, which stipulates that any replacement should come from the same geo-political zone as the predecessor.
Ganduje replaced Sen. Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North Central zone.
Additionally, the plaintiffs argue that Ganduje’s appointment without a democratically conducted election violates Article 20(1) of the APC constitution.
They further assert that the National Executive Committee (NEC) lacks the authority to appoint the national chairman, a power reserved for the party’s National Convention per Article 13 of the APC constitution.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare Ganduje’s appointment illegal and to uphold the party’s constitutional requirement for filling vacancies through democratic processes.
