Nigeria: Federal High Court Dismisses Suit Against Ganduje’s APC Chairmanship

By Onoja Baba, Nigeria

Justice Inyang Ekwo of the Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday dismissed a lawsuit challenging the appointment of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All-Progressives Congress (APC).

The court ruled that the plaintiff lacked the legal standing, or locus standi, to initiate the case.

The suit, filed by the North Central APC Forum led by Saleh Zazzaga, sought to nullify Ganduje’s appointment, arguing that he was not from the North Central geopolitical zone, a violation of the APC’s internal guidelines.

The plaintiff alleged that Ganduje’s appointment violated Article 31.5(1) of the APC Constitution, as he replaced Senator Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State, which is located in the North Central zone, while Ganduje hails from Kano State in the Northwest.

In his ruling, Justice Ekwo upheld the preliminary objections of the defendants, agreeing that the plaintiff had no locus standi to file the suit.

He also noted that the North Central APC Forum, which brought the case, is not a registered legal entity and therefore lacks the juristic personality required to sue.

The judge emphasized that the onus was on the plaintiff to provide a certificate of registration from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC), which they failed to do.

Furthermore, the judge stated that the APC’s National Executive Committee’s appointment of party officers, including Ganduje, was an internal affair that the court could not intervene in.

He highlighted that the plaintiff had also failed to exhaust the internal conflict resolution mechanisms within the party before bringing the matter to court.

“The subject matter is an internal affair of the political party, I hereby strike out the suit for lack of locus standi,” Ekwo concluded.

The plaintiff had also sought to prevent the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing any actions taken by the APC, including congresses, primaries, and nominations since Ganduje’s assumption of office on August 3, 2023. However, with the dismissal of the suit, Ganduje’s leadership of the APC remains intact.

Meanwhile, Ganduje received a boost in support as the Forum of All Progressives Congress State Chairmen passed a vote of confidence in his leadership.

A delegation of 37 state APC chairmen visited the party’s national secretariat in Abuja to endorse Ganduje, signaling strong internal backing for his continued leadership.