The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has upheld the suspension and subsequent expulsion of a former Governor of Gombe State, Senator Mohammed Danjuma Goje, from the All Progressives Congress, APC.
The court in a judgement delivered by Justice Obiora Egwuatu, dismissed a suit the erstwhile governor, who piloted affairs of the state from 2003 to 2011, filed to challenge his dismissal from the APC by the Kashere Ward Executive Committee of the party.
The court held that there was no evidence before it to establish that he was denied fair hearing by the party.
It held that Senator Goje was given ample opportunity to appear before an investigative committee the party constituted to look into allegations that were levelled against him, but he failed to do so.
According to the court, part of the proof of evidence that was adduced before it, included a newspaper publication, where he was summoned to appear before the committee, with the date and venue for the meeting, clearly stated.
It held that the plaintiff, having deliberately shunned invitation by the committee, could not turn around to allege that he was not granted a fair hearing.
Consequently, Justice Egwuatu dismissed the suit for want of merit.
It will be recalled that Senator Goje was in April, suspended and subsequently dismissed from the APC over an allegation that he engaged in anti-party activities.
The former governor was further accused of refusing to attend presidential and other local campaign events of the APC, as well as working against candidates of the party that contested the state Assembly, Governorship and National Assembly elections.
Besides, he was accused of engaging in open display of contempt and disloyalty towards the party leadership in Gombe State.
His expulsion from the party followed the report of an investigative panel set up by the Kashere Ward Executive Committee of the party.
The investigative report and recommendation for Goje’s dismissal from the APC was ratified by the Ward Excos and endorsed by the Gombe State Executive Committee of the party as well as Executive Committees of chapters of the party in all the 11 Local Government Areas, LGAs, in the state.
However, dissatisfied with the action against him, ex-governor Goje filed the suit that was dismissed by the court.