Ganduje, the National Chairman of the party, was recently suspended by the executive members of Ganduje Ward in the Dawakin-Tofa local government area of Kano State.
The embattled former governor of Kano State, Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, has obtained a court order stopping his suspension from the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Ganduje, the National Chairman of the party, was recently suspended by the executive members of Ganduje Ward in the Dawakin-Tofa local government area of Kano State.
The legal adviser of the ward, Haladu Gwanjo, accused the former governor of gross misconduct and misappropriation of public funds during his administration in the state.
He said that the suspension of the party national chairman was a unanimous decision of the members of the ward, adding that Ganduje could not clear his name amid corruption allegations that followed the 8-year administration.
Meanwhile, the APC has described the suspension as null and void, insisting that Ganduje was still the national chairman of the party.
This was seen in a court document obtained by SaharaReporters, ordering that Ganduje should stop presiding over all affairs of the National Working Committee of the APC.
Justice Usman Na'abba granted the application on Tuesday, following an ex parte motion filed by Dr. Ibrahim Sa'ad on behalf of two executive members of Ganduje's ward, Dawakin-Tofa Local Government Area, the Assistant Secretary, Laminu Sani, and the Legal Adviser, Haladu Gwanjo (plaintiffs), who were among the nine ward executives who suspended Ganduje on Monday.
The court ruled that Ganduje should no longer preside over all affairs of the APC's NWC.
However, Ganduje in a court document dated April 17, 2024, with Suit No. FHC/KN/CS/122/2021 and seen by SaharaReporters on Thursday, filed a counter-motion Exparte on April 16, 2024 before Justice A. M. Liman of the Federal High Court sitting in Kano, the state capital.
Ganduje in the application pleaded for an order of the “Honourable Court restraining all the Respondents, their servants, agents or privies from Implementing and or given 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 Area of Kano State on the 15th April, 2024 pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application for the enforcement of fundamental rights of the Applicant.
“An order mandating all the parties to maintain status quo before the purported emergency meeting of the alleged Executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, and to stay all action in respect of this matter pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.”
Granting Ganduje’s prayers, Justice Liman stated, “After reading the affidavit in support of Motion sworn to by Sulaiman A. Sulaiman, Adult, Male, Muslim, and a Nigerian Citizen of No. 38 Bargery Road, Kano, and filed at the Court Registry.
“And after hearing Jazuli Mustapha Esq. with Hadiza Nasir Ahmad Esq. move in terms of the Motion Paper, it is hereby ordered as follows:
“That all the Respondents, their servants, agents or privies are hereby restrained from implementing and or given 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 Area of Kano State on the 15th April, 2024 pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application for the enforcement of fundamental rights of the Applicant.
“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 all action in respect of this matter pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application.
“That the matter is fixed for 30th April 2024 for hearing.”