North-central APC Group Vows to Appeal Suit Seeking Ganduje’s Removal as Party’s National Chairman

Seriki Adinoyi in Jos

The North-central Forum of the All Progressives Congress (APC) has said it will not allow the National Chairman of the party, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje to cause disaffection and disunity in the party in the region, adding that the forum will appeal the Federal High Court ruling that dismissed its suit seeking Ganduje’s removal.

Speaking with journalists yesterday in Jos, the Plateau State capital, the Chairman of the forum, Alhaji Saleh Zazzaga, said they would pursue all legal means possible to ensure that the national chairmanship position of the party returns to the region.
The North-Central APC forum had dragged Ganduje, APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before a Federal High Court in Abuja, praying for the nullification of the appointment of Ganduje as the national chairman of the party.
He, however, said that the interpretation of the 2022 constitution of the APC as amended, which outlined the zoning arrangement was neglected by the court, causing it to dismiss the case.

He said by the party’s 2022 constitution, as amended, the zoning of the chairmanship position should go to the North-central and not the North-west region where Ganduje hails from.
Zazzaga added that the appointment of Ganduje breached Article 13 of the APC Constitution because it was not done through a democratic process as enshrined in the party’s law.
But in his judgement on Monday, Justice Inyang Ekwo dismissed the suit, observing that the APC North-central forum is not a juristic person and not registered in law.

The judge added that it has no legal power to file the suit.
Justice Ekwo noted that the plaintiff failed to explore the internal mechanism for peaceful resolution of issues before rushing to the court, adding that the appointment of officers for APC by its National Executive Committee is an internal affair of the party, which no court can dabble into.
But Zazzaga said his forum would appeal the judgement, and that they would pursue their cause to a legal and logical conclusion.
He said: “The North Central APC forum has been well recognised as a support group within the party since 2018, and the evidence of the letter of recognition as a support group is there.
“Besides, we are chieftains and members of the party alike, and as individuals and groups can express our grievances if we feel that the party’s constitution is being breached.

“We have pursued our cause through varied means but we were not given up attention. We have consulted and aired our grievances through the party stakeholders in the region, we have protested again and again and we have also done Media publications to that effect, among other things.

“We shall keep pursuing the case to the end. At least, posterity will judge us fairly that we have legally and legitimately pursued a good and honest cause within the party.

“And as for Ganduje, we will not allow him to destroy the APC in the North-central region. Since we have been pursuing our demand for the region, some people for their selfish interests have been lobbied to betray the region.”