Kano APC Crisis: Court Affirms Ganduje’s Suspension From Party

A High Court of Kano State on Tuesday, April 16, 2024 ordered the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Alhaji Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to stop parading himself as a member of the Party.

This followed an order of exparte which the Court presided over by Justice Usman Malam Na’Abba granted restraining Ganduje from parading himself as member of the party.

The Court also ordered that henceforth, Ganduje should desist from presiding over the affairs of the National Working Committee (NWC) of APC.

The application which was filed by Dr. Ibrahim Sa’ad Esq on behalf of two executive members of the APC Ganduje ward, Dawakin-Tofa Local Government Area of Kano State, namely; the Assistant Secretary, Laminu Sani and Legal Adviser- Haladu Gwanjo (plaintiffs), who were part of the nine ward executive members that suspended Abdullahi Ganduje on Moday, April 15, 2024.

The court accordingly, directed the four parties (respondents) joined in the suit including, the All Progressives Congress (APC), National Working Committee (NWC) of the APC, the Kano State Working Committee (SWC) of the APC, and Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, to henceforth, maintain the status quo ante belum as from 15th April, 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit fixed for April 30, 2024.

The trial judge, Justice Na’abba also ordered the Kano State Working Committee from interfering with the legally and validly considered decision of the Executives of Ganduje Ward since the action was endorsed by two-third majority of the executives as provided by the APC constitution.

The Court further held; “An order is hereby granted directing all parties in the suit APC (1st), APC National Working Committee (2nd), Kano State Working Committee APC (3rd), Dr. Abdullah Umar Ganduje (4th), to maintain status quo ante belum as of 15th April, 2024.

“The order thereby restraining the 1st respondent (APC) from recognizing the 4th respondent (Ganduje) as member of APC and prohibiting the 4th respondent (Ganduje) from presiding over any affairs of the NWC and restraining the State Working Committee from interfering with the legally and validly decision of the Ward Executives of Ganduje Ward.

“That the 4th respondent (Ganduje) is prohibited from parading himself as member of APC or doing any act that may portray him or seem to be a member of APC pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit,” the Court affirmed.

Nine members of the Ganduje Ward Executive Committee of the APC on Monday, announced and proclaimed the suspension of the National Chairman of the APC over allegation of corruption slammed on him by the Kano State Government.

The nine APC Executives Committee members declared that they were prompted to act following a petition written by one Ja’afaru Adamu, a member of APC from the National Chairman’s polling unit.

In the said petition, Adamu complained over the allegation of corruption levelled against Dr Umar Ganduje and therefore urged Ward leaders to investigate the matter in order to redeem the dented image of the Party and the implication on President Bola Tinubu’s fight against corruption.

Even though the Chairman and Secretary of the Ward failed to act on the petition dated April 8, 2024, the other nine members of the Ward Executives led by the Legal Adviser acted on the petition which led to the suspension of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje.

The former Kano state Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, had in the last eleven months suffered serious political setback after losing his Dawakin Tofa Federal Constituency in the 2023 General Elections which his son, Umar Abdullahi contested as candidate of the APC.