Taraba APC Crisis: Court Reserves Ruling on Lau’s Suit Against State Chairmanship Primary

The Federal High Court sitting in Jalingo, Taraba State, has reserved ruling in a suit seeking to nullify the All Progressives Congress, APC, state chairmanship primary election.

The suit was instituted by Abdulhadi Haruna Lau, an aspirant who is challenging his exclusion from the contest. Justice Mashkur Salisu reserved ruling on Wednesday after hearing arguments from lawyers representing the parties.

Lau is asking the court to invalidate the primary, arguing that he fulfilled the requirements to contest but was denied the opportunity to participate.

His counsel, Musa Attah, a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, told the court that his client paid the required fees and received a receipt but was subsequently denied the form needed to contest the chairmanship position.

Attah also disputed claims that Lau failed to pay his party dues for the 2023 to 2025 period, insisting that the necessary payments had been made.

He urged the court to reject the argument that the dispute was strictly an internal party matter beyond judicial intervention.

However, counsel to the APC, Festus Kayode, SAN, urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that the documents presented by the defendants were properly executed and that the matter concerned the party’s internal affairs.

Kayode maintained that the court lacked jurisdiction to interfere with the party’s decision on the eligibility of an aspirant to contest its internal election.

Counsel to the second defendant, John Okezie, also opposed the suit, alleging that Lau paid for the aspiration form but failed to settle a penalty fee required under the APC constitution.

Okezie argued that the aspirant had not presented evidence of payment of the penalty fee or documentation from the party’s National Working Committee confirming that he had met all the requirements to participate in the primary.

The case therefore centres on whether Lau fulfilled the party’s conditions for contesting the chairmanship position and whether the court has jurisdiction to examine his exclusion.

While Lau maintains that he was unlawfully prevented from participating despite meeting the requirements, the defendants insist that the party acted within its internal procedures.

With arguments concluded, the court has reserved its ruling, with the date to be communicated to the parties.

The outcome of the case could determine the legal status of the disputed APC chairmanship primary in Taraba State.