ADC Tackles NBA Over Kalu Disciplinary Proceedings

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has criticised the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) for initiating disciplinary proceedings towards lawyer and politician, Kalu Kalu, over his feedback on Justice Peter Lifu, accusing the affiliation of taking sides within the political battle towards the opposition.

The get together additionally warned the NBA towards permitting itself to be drawn into what it described as a political coalition towards opposition figures, insisting that criticism of judicial conduct shouldn’t be interpreted as disrespect for the judiciary.

In a press release on Saturday, signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC questioned the NBA’s resolution to behave towards Kalu, asking why the affiliation had not proven comparable concern when the Court of Appeal criticised Justice Lifu in its June 2026 ruling.

The get together cited the appellate courtroom’s description of the choose’s conduct because the “highest form of judicial impertinence”, including that the courtroom had additionally invoked a Supreme Court precedent describing such conduct as judicial rascality.

“Where was the NBA when the judiciary itself was expressing such grave concerns about the conduct of one of its own?” the ADC requested.

While acknowledging the NBA’s contributions to democracy and the rule of regulation, the get together cautioned that its newest motion might create the impression that it was aligning with the ruling get together towards the opposition.

The ADC alleged that the actual menace to public confidence within the judiciary was not criticism from politicians however the conduct of judges and legal professionals allegedly concerned in compromising the administration of justice.

“It is not Kalu’s words that smear the judiciary. What discredits the Bench and the Bar is the conduct of conscienceless judges like Lifu and equally conscienceless lawyers who are alleged to operate a network of client judges in the service of conscienceless politicians in power,” the assertion stated.

The get together maintained that the NBA needs to be extra involved about alleged judicial misconduct than taking disciplinary motion towards a lawyer for expressing his political opinions.

It additional argued that respect for the judiciary shouldn’t develop into an excuse for silence within the face of perceived injustice.

“The NBA is not a political party. It must, therefore, not be seen to be behaving like a member of a political coalition against the opposition, whose demand is simply that justice be done, that the rule of law be protected and that democracy be preserved,” it stated.

Although the ADC acknowledged the necessity for legal professionals to train restraint of their public engagements, it insisted that such restraint shouldn’t stop them from talking out towards wrongdoing.

“We agree that lawyers must exercise restraint. But there is no respectful way to address evil, and the NBA cannot teach us one,” the get together declared.