Mr Nkemakolam Ukandu, the National Welfare Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has again urged Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja to withdraw from a suit challenging the party’s leadership structure.
Ukandu, in a motion on notice dated and filed on June 5 in response to the Nafiu-Bala Gombe case recently reassigned to Justice Lifu, asked the judge to recuse himself pending the outcome of a petition before the National Judicial Council (NJC).
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Ukandu, in his petition to the NJC, accused the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, and Justice Lifu of alleged bias, corruption, and disobedience to Supreme Court orders in relation to the ongoing case involving the ADC leadership dispute.
NAN also recalled that Ukandu had filed a separate suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1165/2026 on June 4, seeking an order compelling the NJC to investigate allegations of corruption and abuse of judicial powers levelled against Justice Tsoho and Justice Lifu. In that suit, the NJC, Justice Tsoho, and Justice Lifu were listed as 1st to 3rd defendants.
In the latest motion filed through his counsel, Kalu-Kalu Agu, Ukandu—who is also seeking to be joined in the Gombe case—requested an order directing Justice Lifu to step aside from the matter, citing the pending NJC petition.
Alternatively, he prayed the court to transfer the case file in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, between Nafiu-Bala Gombe and the ADC and four others, back to the Chief Judge, pending determination of his petition and related suit.
He also sought an order staying further proceedings in the case involving the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC until his petition before the NJC and his suit at the Federal High Court are resolved.
Ukandu based his application on four grounds, alleging that the subject matter of his petition involves claims of corruption, abuse of judicial powers, disobedience to court orders, and bias by both Justice Tsoho and Justice Lifu.
He argued that it would be in the interest of justice and the integrity of the judiciary for Justice Lifu to withdraw from the case and return the file to the Chief Judge for reassignment.
It will be recalled that the ADC National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had also filed a similar motion seeking Justice Lifu’s recusal from the same matter, citing concerns over judicial impartiality and the right to a fair hearing before an independent tribunal.
Justice Lifu had earlier ordered accelerated hearing in the case, including Ukandu’s application seeking joinder in the suit filed by Gombe, and fixed Monday for hearing.
The substantive suit seeks to restrain the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC from parading itself as the party’s executive, alleging violations of the party’s constitution and the Electoral Act.
Gombe had instituted the suit against the ADC, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and Ralph Nwosu as 1st to 5th defendants.
Nwosu is the former ADC National Chairman who stepped down for the current leadership structure led by David Mark.
