Federal High Court orders stay of action on Ganduje’s suspension

A Federal High Court sitting in Kano has ordered a stay of action on the suspension of Abdullahi Ganduje, former governor of Kano State and incumbent chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), by the leadership of the party from his ward.

This comes on the heels of Wednesday’s ruling by a Kano High Court affirming the suspension that was pronounced by the officials of Dawakin Tofa Ward of the party.

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The APC national chairman had filed an ex parte motion seeking to enforce his fundamental right to a fair hearing at the Federal High Court in Kano.

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

It would be recalled that on April 16, APC executives in Ganduje ward, Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, Kano, suspended Ganduje over alleged corruption.

Responding to the development, the state Working Committee of the APC, also met to nullify the suspension and placed a sanction on the ward executives.

However, Justice Usman Na’Abba of a Kano High Court, upheld Ganduje’s suspension.

But in the ex parte order delivered on Wednesday by the Federal High Court and made available to journalists 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.

Justice Liman said: “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.

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“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.”