From Godwin Tsa, AbuJa
The Abuja division of the Court of Appeal has set aside the judgment of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court, which invalidated the ward and local government congresses of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State.
The court, in a unanimous judgment, said the lower court lacks jurisdiction over the case, as it is not a pre-election matter, but an internal affair of the party which should be decided by the leadership of the APC.
By the judgment, control of the party’s structure in the state is now fully in the hands of Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.
The High Court of the FCT in Abuja had voided the congresses following a challenge in the suit filed by a group led by a senator and former governor of the state, Ibrahim Shekarau.
The two factions had held parallel congresses and produced two sets of state executives on October 18, 2021.
Mr Ganduje’s group produced Abdullahi Abbas as state chairman, Mr Shekarau’s camp elected Haruna Danzago to the same position.
The national leadership of the party had recognised the congresses of the Ganduje group, leading to the other faction heading to the court.
The FCT High Court, on November 30, declared the congress conducted by the plaintiffs as valid and the officials it produced as the duly elected leaders of the APC in the state.
It, similarly on December 17, affirmed its decision by rejecting a motion filed by the Ganduje faction, asking the court to stay execution and set aside the judgment.