On Monday in Abuja, the Federal High Court struck out a lawsuit challenging the national congress of the All Progressives Congress, All Progressives Congress, after ruling that the matter concerned the party’s internal affairs and could not be decided by the court.
The case was handled by Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who also ordered the plaintiff and his lawyer to pay a total of N20 million as cost.
The suit was filed by APC aspirant Fubara Dagogo, who complained that he was excluded from the party’s national convention election even after purchasing and completing nomination forms. He dragged the APC and some party officials to court, including Nentawe Yilwatda, Victor Giadom, and the party’s National Organising Secretary, Sulaiman Muitamma.
Dagogo asked the court to cancel the outcome of the congress for the office of National Vice Chairman for the South-South zone and also requested damages. He argued that he had fulfilled all requirements but was denied participation in the process.
Lawyers representing the APC challenged the case and told the court that issues relating to party congresses, nominations, and leadership decisions are internal matters that courts are not allowed to interfere with under the Electoral Act 2026. They also argued that the plaintiff failed to follow the party’s internal dispute process before going to court.
After reviewing arguments from both sides, the judge ruled that the dispute came from the APC’s congress and convention activities and therefore fell within matters considered internal to the party. The court held that it had no authority to entertain the suit and struck it out completely.
Justice Abdulmalik also ordered Dagogo to pay N10 million and directed his lawyer, Ogochukwu Onyema, to pay another N10 million, bringing the total amount awarded against them to N20 million.