APC crisis: Aspirant asks court to stop National Convention over alleged exclusion, seeks N100m damages
The proposed March 27 National Convention of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) may be heading for a hitch as an aspirant for the office of National Vice Chairman, South-South, Ambassador Fubara Dagogo, has approached a Federal High Court in Abuja, to halt the convention following his alleged exclusion from the exercise
Ambassador Fubara Dagogo, who is the Director General of the APC States Assembly Forum (ASAF) was severally denied his Expression of Interest and Nomination Forms by the APC Convention Committee, through the party’s office of National Organising Secretary, despite his payment of the compulsory N5.1m, as well as meeting all other requirements, with an official clearance issued to him from the finance department of the party
After several failed efforts to get his nomination forms, in line with the provisions of the APC constitution, the ASAF DG said he has no other option than to seek legal redress as a foundation and passionate member of the party
In the suit marked No FHC/ABJ/C8/591/2026, in a Matter of Construction and Interpretation of the All Progressives Congress Payment Acknowledgement Receipt No 26827, 13/03/2026, Vis-a-VisThe Adjusted APC 2026 Schedule of Nationwide Congresses National Convention And Related Activities, Particularly on Purchase of Forms For National Convention, And Date of Zonal Congresses in the Six Geo – political Zones And Section 20(1) (A) of the APC constitution, the ASAF Director General as plaintiff, through his counsel, Chief Sir OAU Onyema, Principal, Akpaagu Law Firm, is seeking the court interpretation of the issues connected to the matter
Listed as defendants in the originating summon includes; the All Progressives Congress (APC), the National Chairman of the party, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, the incumbent National Vice Chairman, South-South, Hon. Victor Giadom as well as the National Organising Secretary, H E, Suleiman Mohammed Argungu
The defendants all on the address, Buhari House, No.40 Blantyre Street Wuse II, Abuja, Nigeria, were given a period of 30 days of service of the summon to cause an appearance for them for the summon
The plaintiff, through his counsel, is paying the court to among other things, give “a perpetual injunction restraining the defendants from conducting any zonal congress for South south APC on Thursday, 25th March, 2026.
‘A declaration of the court that by virtue of APC acknowlegdment receipt No 26827, dated 13/03/2026, issued to Fubara E. Dagogo, he is entitled to be issued with Expression of Interest and Nomination Form as an aspirant for the position of National Vice Chairman ,South South
“A declaration of the court that no APC National Vice Chairman South South can emerge from the 25th March, 2026, zonal Congress, when an aspirant like the plaintiff was excluded
“An order of the court declaring as null and void, and of no effect, the outcome of any APC National Congress for the position of National Vice Chairman, South South, conducted on 25/03/2026 or any other time without the physical participation of the plaintiff
“An order of the court awarding a general damages of N100,000,000 (One Hundred Million Naira) against the 3rd and 4th defendants jointly and severely for the discomfort, embarrassment and mental stress, they caused to the plaintiff”
No date has, however, been fixed for hearing of the matter
It would be recalled that both the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda and the party’s Convention Committee Chairman, former Katsina State governor, Aminu Masari, had earlier pledged fairness to all aspirants for the National Convention, even as the party begins screening of aspirants today
The Plaintiff maintained that his decision to seek legal redress to the action of the APC is not just about one man’s exclusion, stressing that it is about defending the integrity of the party and restoring the vision upon which it was founded.
