A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday, fixed September 18 to deliver judgment in a suit seeking the removal of the National Chairman of All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date after counsel to the respective parties adopted their brief of arguments for and against the suit.

The plaintiff; the North Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, is in the suit marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024 querying the propriety of Ganduje’s appointment as the Chairman of the APC when he is not from the North Central geo-political zone.

Listed as defendants in the case are Ganduje, the APC, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

In his submissions, counsel to the plaintiffs, Benjamin Davou argued that Ganduje’s appointment to replace Abdullahi was contrary to Article 31.5(1) f of the APC constitution and ultra vires the powers of the NEC of the party.

The plaintiff added that by the true interpretation of Article 31.5(1) of the APC. Constitution 2013 (as amended), the party is bound to comply with the procedure for the replacement of an officer in the event of a vacancy and ought to appoint a member from Nasarawa State in the North Central geo- political zone into the office of the chairman of the party.

The plaintiff wants the court to, among others, declare that by Article 20(1) of the APC constitution 2013 as amended, Ganduje cannot be appointed as the National Chairman of the party other than through democratic conducted elections and that his current occupation of the office is illegal.

It equally seeks a declaration that by the provisions of Article 13 of the APC constitution 2013 (as amended), the party’s National Convention is the final authority of the party which has the power to elect or remove national officers of the party including the national chairman of the party.

The plaintiff also wants a declaration that the party’s NEC lacked the power to appoint any person to the office of the Chairman, among others.

However, counsel to Ganduje, Ishaka Mohammed Diko (SAN), in urging the court to dismiss the suit, argued that the election that brought the incumbent chairman of the APC was duly conducted according to the constitution of the party.

The lawyer argued that it is strange that the plaintiffs are challenging the emergence of his client.