GANYE, Adamawa State: The legal dispute pending before the Upper Area Court No. 1, Ganye, widened on Thursday. The court ordered that the incumbent Chairman of Ganye Local Government Council, Hon. Daniel Kamsobi Puren, be joined as a co-defendant in his personal capacity.
Presiding Judge, Hon. Kabiru Musa Esq., delivered the order on 22 October 2026 in Suit No. UAC1G/CV/FI/95/2026. The application was brought by counsel to the plaintiffs, I.S. Emmabo, Esq., under Order 5 Rule 2 of the Adamawa State Area Courts Civil Procedure Rules, 1968. That provision governs the joinder of parties.
Objection Overruled
Counsel to the defendants, Augustine Sambo, Esq., opposed the application. The court dismissed his objection, holding that it “lacked merit.”
What the Court Ordered
1- Joinder: Hon. Puren is joined as a co-defendant in his personal capacity.
2- Amendment: The plaintiffs shall amend the relevant court processes to reflect his name.
3- Service: The amended processes shall be served on the newly joined co-defendant.
The matter was adjourned to 29 October 2026 for further mention.
Why “Personal Capacity” Matters
The phrase “personal capacity” carries weight. A public officer sued in an official capacity is sued as the holder of an office, and the office, not the individual, bears any liability. Joining him personally means the court has allowed the plaintiffs to pursue him as an individual. That can expose him to any reliefs the court may eventually grant.
Joinder under the rules is generally granted where a person’s presence is necessary to settle all questions in dispute. The court’s ruling therefore suggests it considered the incumbent chairman relevant to the proper determination of the suit. The order itself does not state the reasons.
The Parties
Eight plaintiffs, led by Basari Columba, Usman Umar Shehu, Ezekiel Anbe and Nafisa Umar, are suing eleven defendants. The defendants include Lukman Abdulkadiri, Ali Musa Kole Dawasa, Nakum Warimi and Mai Kyau Babbagaji. With Hon. Purem’s joinder, the defence side now has twelve names.
The order was certified a true copy by the Registrar of the court, Abubakar Sa’ad.
What Next?
All eyes now turn to 29 October. By then the plaintiffs are expected to have amended their processes and served the new co-defendant. The next mention will show whether Hon. Puren enters an appearance and whether the defence takes the joinder further.
