A Federal High Court in Kano State on Saturday restrained the acclaimed executive members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) of Ganduje Ward from suspending the party’s national chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.

The court, presided by Justice A. M Liman ordered the restraint pending the hearing and determination of a suit filed by Ganduje for enforcement of his fundamental rights. 

Respondents in the suit include Basiru Nuhu Isah, the Nigeria Police Force, the Commissioner of Police in Kano, Inspector General of Police and the Department of State Service (DSS). 

A faction of the APC in Ganduje ward, Dawakin Tofa local government area had announced the suspension of Ganduje, citing allegations of corruption and bribery during his eight-year tenure as Governor.

Ganduje approached the court through his counsel, Hadiza Ahmed, seeking the enforcement of his fundamental rights to fair hearing and freedom of association.

The lawyer buttressed his submission pursuant to the Enforcement and Procedure Rules, 2009, as subsumed under Section 46 of the Constitution of Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as amended.

Justice Liman gave the order after hearing of an ex parte application moved by the lawyer.

The judge also directed all the parties in the suit to maintain status quo before the purported emergency meeting of the said executive members of APC Ganduje Ward, and to stay all action in respect of the matter, pending the hearing and determination of motion on notice. 

Justice Liman said: “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, on the 20 April, 2024, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive application for the enforcement of fundamental rights of the Applicant.”