Federal High Court stops Ganduje’s suspension in APC

From Mustapha Adamu, Kano

A Federal High Court in Kano, has ordered the purported suspension of National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje by his ward 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.
Peoples Daily reports that on April 16, APC executives in Ganduje ward of Dawakin Tofa Local Government Area, announced the suspension of the former governor over alleged corruption.
Subsequently, the State Working Committee of the APC in Kano nullified the suspension and vowed to take legal action against the ward executives responsible for the suspension.
However, Usman Na’Abba, a Kano High Court judge upheld the purported suspension on the same day.
But in the ex parte order delivered on Wednesday by the Federal High Court and made available to newsmen on Thursday, Justice A.M Liman of the court, 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.
“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 the Ganduje’s application.