A Federal High Court in Abuja has fixed June 26 to hear a suit seeking the removal of the national chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.

Justice Inyang Ekwo fixed the date on Thursday after the plaintiff's lawyer, Benjamin Davou, sought the leave of the court to allow time to reply to Ganduje's preliminary objection.

The plaintiff, the North Central APC Forum, led by Saleh Zazzaga, is in the suit, marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/599/2024, querying the propriety of Ganduje's appointment as the chairman of the APC when he is not from the North Central geo-political zone.

Listed as defendants in the case are Ganduje, the APC and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

When the case was called on Thursday, Davou said although the suit was slated for hearing, it would not be possible because Ganduje's lawyer, Raymond Asikeni, had just served him the notice of preliminary objection and their counter affidavit.

He promised to file his reply to the two sets of documents filed by Ganduje, first thing on Wednesday after the public holiday.

Justice Ekwo then adjourned until June 26 for hearing.

"On the date of hearing, the preliminary objection will be taken together with the substantive suit.

"The processes of any party that is absent from court shall be deemed as adopted," he said.

The plaintiff in the main suit, the North Central All Progressives Congress (APC) Forum, wants the court to restrain Ganduje from further parading himself as the chairman of the party.