UPDATED: Federal High Court Restraints Ward Executives From Suspending Ganduje

By Abdullahi Yusuf

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has ordered the purported suspension of the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, by his ward executives,to be halted.

The ruling came on Wednesday after Ganduje filed an ex parte motion seeking to enforce his fundamental right to fair hearing.

The respondents in the application are the Police, Department of State Services (DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and nine other individuals.

On April 16, APC executives of Ganduje ward in Dawakin Tofa Local Government in Kano State purportedly suspended Ganduje over alleged corruption.

Subsequently, the State Working Committee of the APC in Kano nullified the suspension and sanctioned the ward executives.

However, Usman Na’Abba, a Kano High Court judge upheld the purported suspension on the same day.

In the ex parte order delivered on Wednesday by the Federal High Court and made available to newsmen on Thursday, A.M. Liman, a judge of the Federal High Court in Kano 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 Ganduje Ward, held at Ganduje Ward of Dawakin Tofa Local Government.

“That all the parties are hereby mandated to maintain status quo before the purported emergency meeting of the alleged executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, and to stay action in respect of this matter pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application,” Liman said.

The judge subsequently fixed April 30 to hear Ganduje’s prayer.