The North-Central Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has announced its decision to appeal a recent ruling by the Federal High Court in Abuja, which dismissed their case against the appointment of Dr. Abdullahi Ganduje as the National Chairman of the party.
The forum had earlier approached the court seeking the removal of Ganduje, arguing that his appointment violated the party’s zoning arrangement.
According to the North-Central APC, the position of the National Chairman should have remained within their region after the resignation of the previous chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, who is from Nasarawa State, a part of the North-Central zone.
In July 2023, Adamu resigned from the position shortly after President Bola Tinubu assumed office. He was then replaced by Ganduje, who hails from Kano State in the North-West.
This move sparked dissatisfaction among party members in the North-Central zone, who believe that their region should have been given the chairmanship position.
The forum subsequently took legal action, naming Ganduje, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as defendants in the suit. However, the case was struck out on Monday by Justice Inyang Ekwo.
Justice Ekwo ruled that the forum lacked the legal standing to sue because it was not a juristic entity registered under the law. He further noted that the forum had failed to explore internal mechanisms for resolving disputes within the party before taking the matter to court.
According to the judge, the appointment of party officers falls under the jurisdiction of the APC’s National Executive Committee and is an internal affair that cannot be challenged in court.
Following the court’s decision, the Chairman of the North-Central APC Forum, Saleh Zazzaga, expressed disappointment with the ruling. He revealed that the forum had already instructed its legal team to file an appeal against the judgment.
Speaking to journalists in Jos, Plateau State, Zazzaga stated, “We will pursue this cause to a legal and logical conclusion, while we will also continue our strategy with the party chieftains and stakeholders from the region for the rights, privileges and benefit of the region within the APC structure and the APC administration in general.
“The earlier the President and the party realise that remaining in office by Ganduje is retrogression for the party and will incur legal liabilities for the party, the better.
“Apart from that, we believe that the party will not want to trade the entire North Central region for Ganduje. The party should do the needful.”
