The expulsion of a former governor of Gombe State, Senator Mohammed Goje, from the All Progressives Congress, (APC), has been upheld by the Federal High Court sitting in Abuja.
The former governor had filed a suit to challenge his dismissal from the APC by the Kashere Ward Executive Committee of the party in the state.
Earlier in April, Goje was suspended and later dismissed from the APC over an allegation that he engaged in anti-party activities.
The former governor was accused of contempt and disloyalty towards the party leadership in Gombe State, including working against candidates of the party that contested the state Assembly, governorship and National Assembly elections.
He was also accused of refusing to attend presidential and other local campaign events of the APC.
He was later expelled from the party following the report of an investigative panel set up by the Kashere Ward Executive Committee of the party and affirmed by the Ward Excos.
However, the court presided over by Justice Obiora Egwuatu dismissed the suit for want of merit.
Justice Egwuatu held that the erstwhile governor was given enough opportunity to appear before an investigative committee formed by the party to look into allegations that were levelled against him, but he failed to do so.
Moreover, the court maintained that there was proof of evidence including a newspaper publication, where he was summoned to appear before the committee, with details of the meeting clearly stated.
As a result, the court held that there was no evidence before it to establish that his right to a fair hearing was denied.
It held that the plaintiff, having deliberately shunned the invitation, could not turn around to allege that his right to a fair hearing was violated.
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