A Federal High Court in Kano presided over by Justice A.M. Iman issued an order on Thursday to halt the purported suspension of Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), from the party. The court’s decision came in response to an application filed by Ganduje seeking the enforcement of his fundamental right to fair hearing.
The respondents in the case included Haladu Gwanjo, Malami Mai Ac, Mohammadu Baiti, Damalam Gale, Umar Sanda, Auwalu Galadima, Abubakar Dauda, the Nigeria Police, Kano State Commissioner of Police, the Inspector General of Police, the Department of State Service, and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
After reviewing the affidavit in support of the motion, sworn to by Suliaman A. Suleiman, and hearing arguments presented by Jazuli Mustapha Esq, the court ordered the suspension of the implementation of Ganduje’s purported suspension from the APC. Additionally, it restrained all respondents, their servants, agents, or privies from enforcing or giving effect to the decision reached during the alleged emergency meeting of the executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, which took place on April 15th in Ganduje Ward of Dawakin Tofa LGA. These restrictions are to remain in place until the determination of the substantive application for the enforcement of the applicant’s fundamental rights.
The court further mandated that all parties involved maintain the status quo as it was before the purported emergency meeting of the Ganduje Ward’s alleged executive members. It also directed a stay on all actions related to the matter until the hearing of the substantive application. The court has scheduled April 30th for the hearing of the case.
The events leading up to this legal battle can be traced back to April 15th when the Ward Executive of the Ganduje ward in Dawakin Tofa LGA, Kano State, purportedly suspended the APC National Chairman in response to corruption allegations levelled against him by the Kano State Government. However, the State Executive Council of the party swiftly suspended the ward party executives on the same day, citing alleged anti-party activities.
In an unexpected turn, a Kano High Court presided over by Justice Usman Mallam Na’abba affirmed the suspension by some members of the Ganduje ward Executive on Wednesday.
