A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, on Wednesday, September 18, 2024, moved the judgment in a suit seeking the removal of Abdullahi Ganduje as National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) to September 23, 2024.
The matter, which was earlier fixed for today, was not on the cause list.
Also, 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, 2024,” a reliable source said.
Justice Inyang Ekwo had, on July 5, 2024, fixed today (September 18, 2024) for the judgment.
The judge 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 query the propriety of Mr 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 Mr Ganduje, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as first, second and third defendants respectively.
The plaintiff wants the court to, among others, restrain Mr 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.
He argued that the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the APC breached the party’s constitution when it appointed Mr Ganduje, from Kano State in the North West geo-political zone to replace Abdullahi Adamu from Nasarawa State in the North Central geo-political zone.
It also argued that Mr 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.
