The Federal Capital Territory High Court in Maitama, Abuja, has ordered that the All Progressives Congress be served with a hearing notice after the party failed to send a representative to participate in the ongoing lawsuit by a former candidate seeking a refund of the nomination money.
The complaint, filed under the case number FCT/HC/CV/2434/2024, was filed by Sunny Moniedafe, a previous candidate for the APC Deputy National Chairman (North) post. He demanded that the ruling party reimburse him for the ₦10 million he spent for a nomination form in 2022.
He bought the ₦10 million Nomination Form to run for the post of Deputy National Chairman (North) in advance of the APC’s National Convention on March 26, 2022, Moniedafe stated.
He added that the party’s leadership, led by then-President Muhammadu Buhari, asked candidates to resign during the convention since it had been decided to fill the post of Deputy National Chairman with a native of Borno State in the North-East geopolitical zone.
According to Moniedafe, the leadership had decided on a candidate and told other candidates to resign. Former President Buhari had also ordered that those who obeyed get their money back.
Moniedafe stated, however, that “despite my repeated demands, the defendant’s leadership blatantly refused, failed, and neglected to refund the said ₦10 million from March 2022 to the time of filing this case, thereby reneging on its promise.”The plaintiff, Moniedafe, and his attorney, Okoi Obono-Obla, were both in court on Monday when the sessions started; however, neither the defendant nor any APC legal representative appeared in court.
The presiding judge, Justice Yusuf Halilu, ordered that a hearing notice be served on the APC ahead of the next hearing date.
“The defendant is not in court and not represented,” Justice Halilu noted.
Justice Halilu acknowledged the statement of defence before the court but added that there was no proof that the plaintiff had been served. “I can see no proof of service here,” he said.
He instructed the court registrar to expedite the process by contacting the defendant’s counsel and providing them with the necessary documents so they could be served.
Obono-Obla responded, “My lord, we are very diligent. If we are served, we will respond immediately.”
The court acknowledged an application filed by the APC seeking an extension of time. In a brief ruling, Justice Halilu granted the request, stating, “The application filed by the defendant seeking an extension of time is hereby moved and granted.”
He proceeded to adjourn the case to July 15, 2025, for a hearing to determine whether the defendant had been served the hearing notice.
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