The Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the appointment of Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The case was brought forward by the Northern Central APC Group, which sought to nullify Ganduje’s appointment, arguing that it violated the party’s constitution.
The group, led by Saleh Zazzaga, claimed that the position of National Chairman was supposed to be filled by someone from the North Central zone, and Ganduje, being from Kano in the North West, was improperly appointed. They contended that the APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) breached Article 13 of the party’s constitution by appointing Ganduje to replace Abdullahi Adamu, who hails from Nasarawa in the North Central zone.
The group also requested the court to prevent Ganduje from continuing in his role and asked for an order barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing any decisions made by the APC since Ganduje assumed office on August 3, 2023.
However, Justice Inyang Ekwo dismissed the case, ruling that the appointment of party officials by the APC’s NEC is an internal matter that falls outside the court’s jurisdiction. Additionally, the court stated that the Northern Central APC Group lacks legal standing as it is not a recognized legal entity and had failed to resolve the issue through the party’s internal dispute mechanisms.
