ADC asks NJC to probe two Federal High Court judges over switch of get together management dispute case

 The African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential marketing campaign
council has requested the National Judicial Council (NJC) to research two
federal excessive courtroom judges over the switch of a case involving the get together’s
management dispute from Emeka Nwite to Peter Lifu.

 

In an announcement issued on Tuesday, Phrank Shaibu, director of
strategic communications of the ADC presidential marketing campaign council, stated John
Tsoho, chief decide of the federal excessive courtroom, reassigned the case a day after
receiving a proper protest from Rauf Aregbesola, the get together’s nationwide
secretary.

Shaibu referred to as on the NJC to look at the switch of the case
by Tsoho, the protest acquired by him, and Lifu’s conduct within the matter.

He stated the switch raised issues in regards to the impartiality
of the method, notably as a result of Nwite had already begun listening to the case
and had not recused himself.

The opposition get together accused him of bias, as a result of he
reassigned the case to Lifu who gave the preliminary judgement derecognising the
David Mark-led management.

The ADC marketing campaign council spokesperson stated the get together’s
attorneys had taken the authorized questions surrounding the matter earlier than the courtroom
of attraction, including that it will respect the appellate courtroom’s determination.

However, he referred to as for the instant launch of the total
judgement that sacked the Mark-led ADC management, saying the get together wanted the
official copy and the explanations for the choice to pursue additional authorized motion.

“The ADC should be given the official copy and the explanations for
the choice in order that we are able to proceed with the suitable authorized motion.
Withholding the judgment obstructs our proper to problem it and denies the
appellate courtroom the advantage of a whole document,” the assertion reads.

Shaibu stated the plaintiff had sought to have the case
transferred from Nwite on the grounds of delay and a insecurity in
acquiring a well timed listening to.

He stated ADC attorneys responded to the request on May 11,
2026, itemizing earlier adjournments, disputing the plaintiff’s account of who
was accountable for them and describing the appliance as discussion board buying.

He added that Aregbesola wrote to Tsoho on June 2, asking
him to reverse the reassignment and formally protesting the switch on the
grounds that the get together lacked confidence in Lifu’s impartiality.

According to Shaibu, the case was assigned to Lifu the
following day regardless of the protest.

“The sequence and timing of this switch increase grave
issues about bias and create an look that the method was not dealt with
with the impartiality this matter demanded,” he stated.

“Justice Tsoho should reply these issues brazenly. The public
is entitled to know why our formal protest was put aside and why the case was
reassigned the very subsequent day.”

The ADC marketing campaign spokesperson additionally questioned Lifu’s
dealing with of a separate swimsuit by which he ordered the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the get together and 4 others.

He stated the courtroom of attraction had stayed proceedings in that
matter, however Lifu went forward to ship judgement, which was later nullified by
the appellate courtroom.

He additionally cited a judgement by Musa Liman, a decide, who
dismissed a problem to the get together’s management for lack of advantage and locus
standi.

According to Shaibu, Liman held that the inner get together
dispute was non-justiciable, declared the management handover lawful and stated
INEC was entitled to recognise the nationwide chairman and nationwide secretary.

He argued that Lifu, sitting on the identical federal excessive courtroom,
couldn’t disregard the sooner judgement, including that the difficulty was among the many
authorized questions earlier than the courtroom of attraction.

Shaibu maintained that Atiku Abubakar remained ADC’s
presidential candidate, saying the get together would defend its place earlier than the
appellate courtroom.

“The legislation is on his facet, not sentiment. We will defend that
place earlier than the courtroom of attraction and preserve the document earlier than Nigerians,” he
added.

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