A Federal High Court in Abuja has scheduled June 26 to hear a suit seeking the removal of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje. This follows a request by the plaintiff's lawyer, Benjamin Davou, representing the North Central APC Forum, for additional time to respond to Ganduje's objections.
The forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, challenges Ganduje's appointment on the grounds that he is not from the North Central region. The defendants in the case include Ganduje, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
At the case mention, Davou indicated that although the suit was set for hearing, he needed more time as Ganduje’s lawyer, Raymond Asikeni, had only recently served a notice of preliminary objection and a counter-affidavit. Davou assured the court that he would file his reply by next Wednesday, after the public holiday.
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Justice Inyang Ekwo adjourned the hearing to June 26, stating, “On the date of hearing, the preliminary objection will be taken together with the substantive suit.” He added that any absent party's processes would be considered as adopted.
The plaintiff seeks to restrain Ganduje from acting as the APC national chairman and to direct INEC not to recognize any actions taken by the APC since his appointment on August 3, last year. The forum argues that Ganduje’s appointment violates the APC constitution, as he is from Kano State in the Northwest, not from the North Central region.
The plaintiff contends that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC overstepped its authority by appointing Ganduje, contrary to the party’s constitutional requirements and replacing Senator Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North Central.
