Deregistration of ADC, 4 others: Legal fireworks resume at Appeal Court today
Court Orders N100 Million Fine Against ADC Leader Over Suit Against Judges
By Ikechukwu Nnochiri
ABUJA — The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Nkemakolam Ukandu, the National Welfare Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to pay N100 million for filing a suit against two judges. The court directed Ukandu to pay N50 million each to Chief Judge John Tsoho and Justice Peter Lifu.
Justice Salim Ibrahim issued the ruling following an oral application from the judges’ counsel, J.U.K. Igwe. The court stated that the fine must be paid within 14 days. Additionally, Justice Ibrahim dismissed Ukandu’s case for lack of diligent prosecution.
Ukandu had accused the judges of bias and disobeying a Supreme Court directive related to an ongoing leadership crisis within the ADC. He also named the National Judicial Council (NJC) as a defendant in his case.
In his suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1165/2026, Ukandu sought an order compelling the NJC to investigate claims of corruption and judicial misconduct against the judges. He specifically questioned the reassignment of a case involving Senator David Mark’s leadership of the ADC from Justice Emeka Nwite to Justice Lifu.
During the most recent court session, neither Ukandu nor his lawyer appeared. Justice Ibrahim had previously warned of potential dismissal due to the plaintiff’s absence and proceeded with the dismissal on Monday, imposing a punitive cost.
Court of Appeal to Hear Appeals on Political Party Deregistration Today
In a separate matter, the Court of Appeal in Abuja is scheduled to hear appeals today regarding a judgment that required the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC and four other political parties: the Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), Accord Party (AP), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
The three-member panel, led by Justice Abba Mohammed, approved a full hearing of the appeals on June 25 after preliminary proceedings allowed the parties to align their filing processes.
On June 16, the appellate court issued a stay on the High Court’s ruling, criticizing Justice Peter Lifu for ignoring a prior order to halt proceedings until the appeal was resolved. The appellate court characterized Lifu’s actions as “judicial impertinence,” noting that previous Supreme Court decisions deem such conduct unfit for the judiciary.
The Federal High Court’s ruling had mandated INEC to deregister the five parties for failing to meet constitutional requirements for continued existence and involvement in future elections. It also barred INEC from recognizing the parties or accepting candidate nominations from them for the upcoming 2027 general elections.
The plaintiffs, identified as the National Forum of Former Legislators (NFFL), asserted that the political parties had consistently failed to achieve the necessary electoral benchmarks. Their case, referenced as FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, highlighted the parties’ insufficient performance in recent elections and the implications of their continued recognition for Nigeria’s electoral system.
The Attorney General of the Federation, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, who is also a defendant in the case, has aligned with the plaintiffs, arguing that the retention of these parties breaches constitutional mandates and jeopardizes electoral integrity. In response to the trial court’s verdict, all defendants, including INEC, are appealing for the judgment to be overturned.