BY ANTHONY OCHELA, ABUJA
A Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday dismissed a suit by Fubara Dagogo, who claimed to be a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), seeking to void the party’s recently conducted national congress.
In a judgment, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to hear the case, because issues raised, which relate nomination, are within the internal affairs of the political party named.
Justice Abdulmalik held that issues surrounding candidates’ nomination and purchase of the relevant forms are issues internal to political parties, in which court are not allowed to interfere.
The judge upheld the preliminary objection filed by the four defendants and proceeded to dismiss the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/591/2026 filed March 23.
Justice Abdulmalik, relying on the provision of Section 83(6) of the Electoral Act 2026, awarded the cost of N10million each against the plaintiff and his lawyer, Chief Sir O. A. U. Onyema.
According to the judge, the N20m cost awarded by the court against the plaintiff and his lawyer, are in favour of the four defendants.
Listed as defendants in the suit are the APC, its National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, the party’s National Vice Chairman, South South, Victor Giadom and APC’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Muitamma.
Dagogo had claimed in the suit that he was denied opportunity to purchase nomination and expression of interest forms to contest for position of the party’s National Vice Chairman, South South.
He further claimed that he was excluded from participating in the party’s national convention election.
Among the reliefs sought by Dagogo included an order nullifying the outcome of any congress for the position of National Vice Chairman, South South, without his physical participation.
He urged the judge to determine whether there could be a legitimate zonal congress for South South APC with his alleged unlawful exclusion after he was duly cleared and paid for his expression of interest (EoI) and nomination forms.
Dagogo prayed the court to declare that by virtue of APC’s Payment Acknowledgment Receipt No. 26827 dated March 13 and issued to him, he is entitled to be issued with the requisite expression of interest and nomination forms as an aspirant for the position of National Vice Chairman, South —South Nigeria.
He equally urged the court to award a general damages of N100 million against the 3rd and 4th defendants for the discomfitures, embarrassments and mental torture, they occasioned to him with their ill conduct.
Related