I’m Still APC National Chairman, Ganduje Says As Court Stops Suspension

The Federal High Court in Kano has ruled to halt the alleged suspension of Abdullahi Ganduje, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, by his ward.

The ruling was issued on Wednesday evening following Ganduje’s submission of an ex parte motion, aiming to uphold his fundamental right to a fair hearing.

The respondents in the application are the police, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and nine other individuals.

Recall that on Monday, April 16, APC executives in Dawakin ward, Tofa LGA of Kano State, purportedly suspended the APC National chairman over alleged corruption.

Subsequently, the State Working Committee of the APC nullified the suspension and sanctioned the ward executives with a month’s suspension.

Nonetheless, Judge Usman Na’Abba of the Kano High Court upheld Ganduje’s purported suspension on Tuesday.

In the ex parte order delivered on Wednesday by the court and made available to newsmen on Thursday, the judge, A.M Liman, said the purported suspension should not be implemented until the case is heard and determined.

“That all the respondents, their servants, agents or privies are hereby restrained from Implementing and/or giving effect to the purported decision reached during the purported emergency meeting of the alleged executive members of APC held at Ganduje Ward of Dawakin Tofa Local,” Liman said.

The court subsequently fixed April 30 to hear Ganduje’s appeal.

Earlier, the APC chairman for Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, Halliru Gwanzo who led the ward EXCO distanced themselves from the purported suspension and the court case filed against Ganduje leading to that order.

He insisted that he was impersonated and called on the party’s leadership to probe the matter and punish those found guilty of illicit act, saying the act of the handiwork of the New Nigerian People’s Party (NNPP) administration in the state.

Gwanzo said, “I am here today with 27 members from our ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government in Kano State to tell the whole world that we know nothing about the purported suspension of our national chairman. It is not true.

“I was surprised, just like every other person, to see my name again as one of the plaintiffs that took legal action against him this morning. It is utterly false. I know nothing about all these allegations, and I am using this opportunity to call on the leadership of our great party and the NWC to go after the impersonators.They should not be spared. We know this is orchestrated by the NNPP government and the Kwankwasiyya group.”

Ganduje appreciated the party executive members and ward officials from Ganduje Ward for distancing themselves from the purported plot to remove him from the party’s leadership and membership.
He attributed the development to the plan of Governor Abba Yusuf of the NNPP to weaken APC in the state ahead of the 2027 general election and other electoral contests.

The APC chairman said, “In fact, what is happening is that it is an incursion into our political party by the NNPP government of Kano in order to destroy our party. They are so concerned that in their first year in office, they have seen their failures right from the destruction of the economy of Kano state to increased political violence in and also destruction of political morality in Kano state.

“We are battle ready to take over their government. They are concerned that Kano produces the highest votes. They are so concerned that we will repeat the same feat for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu again. We will ensure that in 2027, there is no vacancy for any presidential candidate fram Kano and from Nigeria.

“They are out to create confusion in our party so that we will not have the courage to take over our government in Kano state. They want to ensure Tinubu does not have the intimidating votes he used to have from Kano state. We will tell them their intentions will fail, that it is impossible, that it is a falsehood.

“I am assuring the President that our party in Kano is solid, it is battle ready in order to keep the votes for president very high, even the highest in Nigeria.

‘We have written to the IGP, the DG DSS who are handling the case because we have their pictures, names, and we know their political leanings. Some of them were captured even wearing kwankwasjyya cap. They were so daft and insensitive that they couldn’t camouflage properly.”