128
By John Azu
A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has asked a Federal High Court in Abuja to disqualify Justice Peter Lifu from conducting the hearing in the suit by a national officer of the party Nafiu Bala Gombe.
In the suit with number: FHC/ABJ/CS/1165/2026, Nkemakolam Ukandu joined the National Judicial Council (NJC); the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho and justice Peter Lifu as defendants in the suit.
Ukandu is asking the court to make an order that it is the responsibility of the NJC to investigate complaints against judicial officers and mete out sanctions accordingly, and to direct it to investigate corruption allegations against Tsoho and Lifu with regard to the suit.
He also seeks an order restraining Justice Lifu from continuing to preside over the suit pending the hearing and determination of the petition to the NJC against him and Justice Tsoho.
Justice Emeka Nwite had in May adjourned indefinitely the suit by Gombe challenging the David Mark-led executive of the party after he (Gombe) requested the reassignment of the matter to another judge.
However, following Tsoho’s nomination of Lifu to hear the matter afresh in line with the Supreme Court’s order of April 30 setting aside the interlocutory ruling of the Court of Appeal for status quo ante bellum on the leadership dispute of the party, the chieftain alleged corruption and bias against the judges, describing them as “Wike judges”.
Ukandu said, as a party in the suit, his lawyer, Kalu Kalu Agu, was not served with the hearing notice of the proceedings of 3rd of June, 2026.
“That the 3rd Defendant (Lifu) on his part, pretending not to see the order of his brother judge, Hon. Justice Emeka Nwite, went ahead and fixed the matter for hearing for 3rd June, 2026,” he said.