Kano APC crisis: Appeal Court reverses judgement recognising Shekarau faction

The Court of Appeal in Abuja has reversed an earlier judgment by Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) upholding the congresses held by the Ibrahim Shekarau faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano State.

A three-member panel of the court, led by Justice Haruna Tsammani, in three judgments on Thursday, held that the High Court of the FCT acted without jurisdiction in hearing a case about Local Government and Ward congresses conducted by the APC in Kano State.

Other members of the panel are Justices Biobele Georgewill and B. I. Gafai.

The appellate court held that the dispute was not a pre-election one, but related to the internal affairs of the APC, which should be decided by the party’s leadership.

The court proceeded to allow the appeals for being meritorious and set aside the judgment given on November 30, 2021 by Justice Hamza Muazu of the High Court of the FCT.

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The three appeals are: Hon. Olayide Adewale Akinremi and another vs. Murtaka Bala Salaiman and 17916 others (CA/ABJ/CV/1020/2021) ; APC vs. Muttaka Bala Sulaiman and 17914 others (CA/ABJ/CV/1034); Dr. Tony Macfoy and 3 others vs. Musa Muhammad Bala and 1320 others (CA/ABJ/CV/03/2022).

Owing to the crisis in the APC in Kano state, the two factions of the part conducted parallel congresses on October 18, 2021.

While the Ganduje faction returned Abdullahi Abbas as the state Chairman, the Shekarau faction produced Ahmadu Haruna Danzago.

The party’s national headquarters later endorsed the one conducted by the Ganduje faction, a decision that was challenged before the FCT High Court.

In the November 30, 2021, Justice Muazu held in favour of the Shekarau faction following which the Ganduje faction filed appeals at the Court of Appeal, Abuja, which appeals were adjudged successful in the appellate court judgments delivered on Thursday.