Court Deals Blow To Farah Dagogo As Suit Against APC National Congress Is Dismissed

Delivering judgment, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik held that the court had no jurisdiction to entertain the matter, as it concerned the internal affairs of a political party.

The court ruled that issues relating to party nominations, purchase of forms, and expression of interest are not matters the judiciary can adjudicate, describing them as non-justiciable.

As a result, the judge struck out the case and awarded ₦10 million costs each against Dagogo and his lawyer, amounting to ₦20 million in favour of the defendants.

Dagogo, who participated in the APC national congress, had approached the court seeking to nullify the outcome of the exercise for the position of National Vice Chairman (South-South), alleging that he was unlawfully excluded despite being cleared and paying for nomination forms.

In the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/591/2026, filed through his counsel Ogochukwu Onyema, he listed the APC and its National Chairman, Nentawe Yilwatda, as first and second defendants.

Also joined were Victor Giadom and Sulaiman Muitamma as third and fourth defendants.

Dagogo asked the court to nullify the congress outcome for the South-South Vice Chairman position, arguing that the process was invalid due to his exclusion.

He further sought declarations that he was entitled to be issued nomination and expression of interest forms, based on a payment receipt dated March 13.

The plaintiff also demanded ₦100 million in damages, citing alleged embarrassment, discomfort, and emotional distress caused by his exclusion.

However, the APC, through its counsel Kayode Okunade, urged the court to dismiss the suit, arguing that it lacked jurisdiction over internal party matters.

He maintained that the dispute arose from party congress procedures and nomination processes, which fall strictly under the party’s internal affairs.

Okunade further argued that Dagogo lacked legal standing, had not exhausted internal dispute resolution mechanisms, and that the suit was an abuse of court process aimed at interfering in party decisions.