May 11, (THEWILL) — The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday slammed a combined N20 million fine on APC chieftain, Mr. Fubara Dagogo, and his lawyer, Ogochukwu Onyema, after dismissing a suit challenging the All Progressives Congress (APC) recently conducted national congress.
Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who delivered the judgment, held that the court lacked the jurisdiction to entertain the matter because it bordered on the internal affairs of a political party.
THEWILL reports that Dagogo, an aspirant in the APC national congress, had approached the court over his alleged exclusion from the contest for the position of National Vice Chairman (South South).
The plaintiff had sued the APC, its National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, National Vice Chairman (South South), Victor Giadom, and the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Muitamma, as 1st to 4th defendants respectively.
In the originating summons marked FHC/ABJ/CS/591/2026 and filed on March 23 through his lawyer, Dagogo sought six reliefs from the court.
Among the reliefs sought was an order nullifying the outcome of any APC congress conducted for the office of National Vice Chairman (South South) without his participation.
He also asked the court to determine whether a valid zonal congress could hold despite his alleged exclusion after paying for his expression of interest and nomination forms.
Dagogo further sought a declaration that, based on APC Payment Acknowledgment Receipt No. 26827 dated March 13, he was entitled to be issued the required expression of interest and nomination forms for the position.
The plaintiff equally prayed the court to award N100 million in general damages against the 3rd and 4th defendants over alleged embarrassment, discomfiture and mental torture.
However, the APC, through its counsel, Kayode Okunade, filed a preliminary objection urging the court to dismiss the suit for lack of jurisdiction.
Okunade argued that the issues raised by Dagogo related strictly to the internal affairs of the party, including nomination processes and congress procedures, which are non-justiciable.
The defence also contended that Dagogo lacked the locus standi to institute the action because he was not recognised as a valid aspirant under the APC constitution and guidelines.
According to the APC, the suit was premature since the plaintiff failed to exhaust the party’s internal dispute resolution mechanisms before heading to court.
In her ruling, Justice Abdulmalik agreed with the submissions of the defendants, holding that disputes relating to nomination forms, expression of interest forms and party congresses fall within the domestic jurisdiction of political parties.
The court consequently struck out the suit in its entirety and imposed a cost of N10 million each against Dagogo and his counsel in favour of the four defendants.
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