A lawsuit aimed at unseating Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has been dismissed by the Federal High Court in Abuja. Presiding over the case, Justice Inyang Ekwo ruled in favor of the defendants on Monday, citing legal technicalities that invalidated the claim.

The court upheld objections raised by the defense, particularly the argument that the claimant lacked the legal right (locus standi) to file the suit. Additionally, the judge agreed with the third defendant’s assertion that the claimant, a group known as the “Northern Central APC Forum,” was not a legally registered entity, as it failed to present a valid certificate from the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC).

In his ruling, Justice Ekwo emphasized that the plaintiff’s lack of legal registration meant it had no juristic personality or authority to pursue the case. Furthermore, the judge noted that the claimant had bypassed the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms before turning to the courts. He also clarified that the appointment of party officials by the APC’s National Executive Committee (NEC) was an internal issue, falling outside the scope of the court’s jurisdiction.

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The case, filed by the North Central APC Forum and led by Saleh Zazzaga (FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024), argued that Ganduje’s appointment violated the APC Constitution, as he hails from the North West geopolitical zone, replacing Senator Abdullahi Adamu, who is from the North Central zone. The suit sought to prevent Ganduje from continuing in his role and called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to refuse recognition of any decisions made by the APC since his appointment on August 3, 2023.

Despite this legal challenge, Ganduje has received widespread support within the party. The Forum of All Progressives Congress State Chairmen, representing 37 state chapters, rallied behind him during a solidarity visit to the APC secretariat in Abuja.