Justice Abdullahi Muhammad Liman of the Federal High Court, Kano, has fixed May 28 for hearing in the substantive application filed by the All Progressives Congress (APC) National Chairman, Abdullahi Ganduje.
Dr Ganduje is challenging his suspension from the party by factional ward executives led by one Basiru Nuhu Isa.
He was first suspended by APC Ganduje Ward executives led by one Haladu Gwanjo on April 15. Another faction emerged and also announced suspension of Dr Ganduje on April 20.
The Tide source reports that the secretary of the party in Kano, Zakari Sarina, said the suspension by the faction was another case of impersonation.
Dr Ganduje is seeking a declaration that his suspension from the party without giving him opportunity to defend himself amounts to violation of his fundamental right to fair hearing.
He is also seeking a declaration that his suspension by the faction was unlawful, null and void.
Counsel for the embattled APC chairman, Hadiza Ahmad, applied for service on the respondents by substituted means which the court granted.
Justice Liman adjourned to May 28 for hearing in the matter.

The Rivers State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Mr Joe Johnson,  and the former organising secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Andoni Local Government Area (ANOLGA), Elder Blessing Tiko have faulted the call for the impeachment of Governor Siminalayi Fubara.
The duo who spoke at different fora in Port Harcourt described the call for the impeachment of Governor Fubara by the caretaker committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Mr Tony Okocha, as an invitation to anarchy.
On his part, Mr Johnson said, in an interview with a radio station in Port Harcourt, that members of The Rivers State House of Assembly also lacked the legitimacy to continue to perform legislative duties having defected from their former party.
While quoting a section of the 1999 Constitution, he said the country’s supreme rule book is specific about defection of members of the House of Assembly, adding that the lawmakers by the constitution have no legal power to legislate for the state.
Speaking on the issue of local government election, the Commissioner said that the purported agreement with the president does not urge the Governor to hold local government elections, adding that the agreement only warned against dissolution of local government councils and setting up of caretaker committees.
He said the Governor has not even contemplated dissolving the elected local government council executives and the setting up of caretaker committees.
The Commissioner also argued that there is no way the Governor can represent a budget already passed by a validly constituted House of Assembly.
According to him, the Assembly that passed the budget was legally recognised by law, adding that there was no way a budget that is now an Act of the state Assembly can be represented.
Also speaking, a former organising secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Andoni Local Government Area, Elder Blessing Tiko, said in the eyes of the law, the 27 members of the House of Assembly were no longer relevant, having defected to the APC, adding that whatever they were doing was dead on arrival.
He urged  them to allow the Governor to govern his people.
“Any one who throws stone in the market will not know whom the stone will touch, therefore, they should not be throwing stones that will hunt them at last or in the nearest future”, he said.
Elder Tiko challenged Mr Okocha to carry out his threat, if he is capable.
He urged the Governor not to be distracted as God and Rivers people were solidly behind him.

John Bibor

A one time caretaker committee chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, Hon. Sokonte Davies, has said that the factional leader of the party in the state and Rivers State representative on the board of the Niger  Delta Development Commission ( NDDC), Chief Tony Okocha, is not a card carrying member of the party.
Reacting to Chief Okocha’s directive to the APC members of the Rivers State House of Assembly who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to impeach Governor Siminalayi Fubara, Hon Davies enjoined Rivers people not to take the statement of Okocha seriously.
He stressed that Okocha, a hireling was only seeking recognition as APC had never mandated any of its members to speak on the current political happenings in the state.
Hon. Davies warned Chief Okocha to desist from issuing political statements against the elected Governor of Rivers State and his government any further or be ready to face consequences.
“I have to challenge Tony Okocha to produce his membership of the APC from when it was formed till now.
“He should also provide his contributions made in the party, and above all, tell Rivers people why there is division in the party.
“The APC platform in Rivers State should not be used by anybody to cause more political upheavals in the state.
“The party does not belong to anybody or group of people, but to men and women of good will, who meant well for the progress of the state and its people”, Hon. Davies said, warning that any further statement by Okocha will be resisted.
“I use the medium to urge Tony Okocha  and his paymasters not to use Rivers APC to launch their faceless attacks on the current political dispensation in the state,” he said.

Bethel Toby