Anti-party Activities: I went to court before APC’s expulsion – Goje
By Chima Azubuike
Former Governor of Gombe State, Danjuma Goje, says he had obtained an exparte order, which he claimed was made available to respondents before Kashere ward in Akko Local Government Area All Progressives Congress officials expelled him.
Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Goje’s Special Assistant Barrister Saidu Kumo, said although the case was before a Federal High Court officials led by its Chairman Abdullahi Tanimu, expelled the ranking senator.
Goje, is a Senator-elect representing Gombe Central comprising of Akko and Yalmatu Deba LGAs in the National Assembly.
Our correspondent reports that he was expelled for alleged anti-party involvement, and his failure to face a five-man committee constituted to probe his activities before and during the 2023 general elections.
Akko and Yalmatu Deba LGAs APC officials have backed Kashere ward.
He said, “The case has been in court before the purported act that took place in Kashere,there was a court order and the party at ward level were served on the 16th and 17th April, 2023 to retrain action to hear the complaints of the respondent at the Federal High Court Abuja but they went ahead to do the purported act.
“As lawyers we have been trained not to say anything when a case is in court of law because we are operating constitutional democracy in Nigeria you can’t do anything that contradict the power of court and you think you will succeed.
Asked whether the expulsion by the ward Executives was null and void, he added, “that’s what we want to hear from the court. Saying it null and void is like we are passing a verdict, we can’t say anything now.
“What we know is that senator Goje is a Senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and he is the Senator-elect of Gombe Central senatorial district under the APC.”
Meanwhile, Legal Adviser of APC in Yalmatu Deba; Barrister Abdullahi Waziri, has justified the expulsion, saying its was the best option following the failure of Goje to honour the five-man committee’s invitation.
“The party was left with no option but to take drastic measure even in his absence, we believe what they have done is what was expected of them by the party,” Waziri said.
Reacting to why the party expelled Goje despite alleged exparte order, he obtained from the court, “We heard about the action taken by the Senator that he has already taken the matter to court and that he has already filed an exparte. Exparte is an action taken without putting the other person on notice, we are just hearing it because we have not been served to appear and defend ourselves,” Waziri added.
