The Federal High Court in Abuja has thrown out a suit filed by an All Progressives Congress (APC) member, Mr Fubara Dagogo, who sought to nullify the party’s recently concluded national congress.

Delivering judgment on Monday, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the court lacked jurisdiction to entertain the matter, describing it as one that falls within the internal affairs of a political party and therefore not justiciable.

The court further ruled that issues relating to nomination processes, purchase of forms, and internal party elections are matters exclusively within the domestic structure of political parties.

As part of the judgment, the court imposed a combined fine of N20 million on the claimant and his counsel, awarding N10 million each in favour of the defendants.

Dagogo had approached the court seeking to invalidate the outcome of the APC national congress, particularly the process for the position of National Vice Chairman (South-South), alleging that he was unlawfully excluded despite fulfilling requirements for participation.

He argued that he had paid for nomination and expression of interest forms and was entitled to participate in the exercise, but was allegedly denied access to the process.

The defendants in the suit included the APC, its National Chairman Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, National Vice Chairman (South-South) Victor Giadom, and National Organising Secretary Suleiman Muitamma.

Dagogo, through his counsel Ogochukwu Onyema, also sought among other reliefs, the nullification of the congress outcome for the South-South zone and N100 million in damages over alleged exclusion and emotional distress.

However, the APC challenged the suit through a preliminary objection, arguing that the court had no jurisdiction over internal party matters and that the claimant failed to exhaust internal dispute resolution mechanisms provided under the party’s constitution.

The party also contended that Dagogo lacked legal standing to institute the action, describing the case as premature and an abuse of court process.

In its ruling, the court agreed with the APC’s arguments, holding that the dispute bordered on internal party administration and could not be adjudicated by a civil court.