A High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) has upheld a fresh motion by a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State challenging the party’s nullification of the congresses by a faction believed to be loyal to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
Justice Hamza Muazu Friday held that the APC local government congresses were illegal, null and void. He ordered the political party to recognise the factional members who participated and won the party congresses as stipulated in the party’s constitution.
Muhammad Chola and 73 others had approached the court through their counsel, Nureini Jimoh, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), seeking the validation of the local government congresses of the party conducted on September 17 in the 44 local government areas of the state, which returned 1,319 winners.
Chola and the claimants, who are believed to be loyal to former Governor Ibrahim Shekarau and a member of the House of Representatives, Sha’aban Ibrahim Sharada, also support the recognition of the ward congresses of July 31, which produced 17,908 winners.
The court had on November 30 upheld the initial ward congresses, which returned the 17,908 believed to be loyalists of Shekarau.
The group had joined as defendants, the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Planning Committee led by Governor Mai Bala Buni, which includes John James Akpanudoedehe, Olayide Adewole Akinremi, Senator Abba Ali, Macfoy, Auwalu Abdullahi, Usman Musa Kaita, and Adedayo Iyaniwura.
Meanwhile, Governor Ganduje has appealed to members of the APC in the state to remain calm over the recent judgement of the court in Abuja.
In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Malam Muhammad Garba, the governor said since the case was an intra-party affair, the government and the party were studying the matter for a way forward.
