Salihu Moh. Lukman
Twists and turns of events in APC surrounding the contestation in Kano State about the attempted suspension of Dr. Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, APC National Chairman, by his Ganduje Ward of Dawakin Tofa Local Government is, to say the least, scandalously being mismanaged by both Dr. Ganduje and the APC National Working Committee (NWC).
Noting a video in circulation, which showed Dr. Ganduje addressing his supporters in Hausa, claiming that President Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu affirmed that he (Dr. Ganduje) remains the National Chairman of APC. Around the same time, while supporters of Dr. Ganduje were busy circulating the video, early on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, Justice Usman Mallam Na’aba of Kano High Court No. 4 Ordered Dr. Ganduje to stop parading himself as a member of APC.
In a swift reaction, the APC NWC was reported to have dismissed the order of the High Court as a nullity. This is very scandalously disturbing as it portrays the APC NWC as a lawless body, which is disrespectful of Orders of our Courts. Any law-abiding citizen or body ought to recognise that any Order given by our Courts is binding until it is vacated. It is quite embarrassing that the APC Legal Adviser, Prof. Abdulkarim Kana would contemptuously claim that the Court order is not enforceable, as according to him ‘it was obtained by fraud.’ To the contrary, it is only the disposition to be fraudulent that would push both Dr. Ganduje and the APC NWC to disrespect a valid order issued by a competent Court of law.
We must warn both Dr. Ganduje and the APC NWC to refrain from any act of disrespect to our judiciary. At the same time Dr. Ganduje should stop dragging Mr. President into a matter that clearly borders on his weak ability to manage relationships at local levels. With due respect to Dr. Ganduje, unless he can do the needful by repairing all political challenges he has back in Kano State, including with Kano State Government, his ability to continue to superintend as National Chairman of APC will be weak and his ability to provide the needed inspirational leadership to the APC to guarantee winning elections will be a fantasy.
Both Dr. Ganduje and the APC NWC, and indeed all leaders of APC must respect the current subsisting order of the Kano High Court that Dr. Ganduje is not a member of APC, until the order is vacated. To the extend that the order subsist, Dr. Ganduje is legally banned from acting as National Chairman. At this rate, perhaps, the APC NWC, is also demonstrating high level of incompetence, which calls to question their legitimacy. A competent NWC should be considering convening meetings of higher organs of APC to manage this delicate legal reality.
The reality is that, as it is, Dr. Ganduje is both a moral, political and legal burden. The big issue is whether the APC NWC has joined Dr. Ganduje to the extent that members, individually and collectively are equally moral, political and legal liabilities!
*Salihu Moh. Lukman
Kaduna