by Nurat Uthman
A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Wednesday, shifted the judgment in a suit seeking the removal of Dr Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to Sept. 23.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the matter, which was earlier fixed for today, was not on the cause list.
It was gathered that the parties in the suit had earlier been reached by the court registrar for a new date because the judgement was not ready.
“We have already called the parties on the phone to inform them of the development. A new date is next week, September 23,” a reliable source said.
Justice Inyang Ekwo had, on July 5, fixed today (Sept. 18) for the judgment.
Justice Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the plaintiff, Benjamin Davou; and lawyers to the defence adopted their processes and made their submission for and against the case.
The plaintiff; the North Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, had filed the suit to queried the propriety of Ganduje’s appointment as the Chairman of the APC when he is not from the North Central geo-political zone.
In the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, the plaintiff listed Ganduje, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as 1st to 3rd defendants respectively.
The plaintiff wants the court to, among others, restrain Ganduje from further parading himself as the chairman of the APC.
It also prays the court to issue an order directing INEC not to accord recognition to all actions taken by the APC, including congresses, primaries and nominations, since Ganduje became APC Chairman on August 3, 2023.
The plaintiff is contending among others, that Ganduje is occupying the office of the APC chairman illegally, not being from a state in the North Central geo-political zone.
It argued that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC breached the party’s constitution when it appointed Ganduje, from Kano State in the North West geo-political zone to replace Sen. Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North Central geo-political zone.
It also argued that Ganduje’s appointment to replace Abdullahi was contrary to Article 31.5(1) f of the APC constitution and ultra vires the powers of the NEC of the party, among other reliefs.
