In a recent ruling at the Federal High Court in Abuja, a suit aimed at removing Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressive Congress was dismissed by Justice Inyang Ekwo. The court agreed with the defendants’ objections, stating that the claimant lacked the legal standing to bring the suit forward.
The judge highlighted that the group suing as the ‘Northern Central APC forum’ was not a registered entity, further weakening the claimant’s case. It was emphasized that without proper registration, the group did not possess the legal authority to file a lawsuit.
Justice Ekwo also noted that the plaintiff failed to exhaust internal party mechanisms for conflict resolution before resorting to legal action. The court ultimately ruled that the APC group did not have the necessary legal standing to pursue the case and dismissed it accordingly.
The lawsuit, filed by the North Central APC Forum, contested Ganduje’s appointment as APC National Chairman, arguing that it violated the party’s constitution. The plaintiff sought to annul Ganduje’s appointment and prevent him from acting as the party’s Chairman.
Despite the plaintiff’s efforts, the court sided with the defendants, emphasizing that internal party affairs are not within the court’s jurisdiction. The suit was struck down due to the lack of legal standing on the part of the claimant.
In a separate development, the Forum of All Progressives Congress State Chairmen expressed confidence in Ganduje’s leadership, with 37 state APC chairmen endorsing him during a visit to the party’s secretariat in Abuja.