Abuja, June 6, 2026 – The National Welfare Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Mr. Nkemakolam Ukandu, has again asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to withdraw Justice Peter Lifu from presiding over a suit challenging the party’s leadership structure.
Ukandu made the request in a motion on notice filed on June 5, in relation to the case instituted by Nafiu-Bala Gombe and recently reassigned to Justice Lifu. He urged the court to step aside from the matter pending the determination of a petition he filed before the National Judicial Council (NJC).
He alleged that issues raised in his petition before the NJC involve claims of bias, corruption, and disregard for Supreme Court judgments in relation to the ongoing political dispute within the ADC.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that Ukandu had earlier filed a separate suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1165/2026 on June 4, seeking to compel the NJC to investigate allegations of misconduct against the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, and Justice Lifu.
In that suit, he listed the NJC, Justice Tsoho and Justice Lifu as defendants.
In the latest application filed through his counsel, Kalu-Kalu Agu, Ukandu—who is also seeking to be joined in the Gombe case—asked the court to direct Justice Lifu to recuse himself from further involvement in the matter, citing the pending NJC petition.
Alternatively, he prayed the court to return the case file, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, to the Chief Judge pending the outcome of both the NJC petition and his related suit.
He also sought an order halting further proceedings in the case involving the Sen. David Mark-led faction of the ADC until all related petitions and suits are resolved.
Ukandu based his request on allegations of bias, abuse of judicial authority, corruption, and non-compliance with court orders, which he said affect both Justices Tsoho and Lifu.
He argued that justice would be better served if Justice Lifu withdrew from the matter and the case reassigned appropriately.
It is recalled that the ADC National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had also filed a similar motion requesting Justice Lifu’s withdrawal from the same case, insisting on the need for an impartial hearing.
Justice Lifu had earlier ordered an accelerated hearing in the suit and fixed Monday for proceedings, including consideration of Ukandu’s application for joinder.
The substantive suit filed by Gombe seeks to restrain the David Mark-led leadership of the ADC from presenting themselves as party executives.
Gombe maintains that the emergence of Mark, Aregbesola, and other members of the National Working Committee violated the ADC constitution and provisions of the Electoral Act.
In the suit, he listed the ADC, David Mark, Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and former party chairman Ralph Nwosu as defendants.
Nwosu had earlier stepped down from his position, paving the way for the current leadership arrangement being challenged in court.