The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a suit seeking to prohibit Senator Ireti Kingibe from participating in all activities of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, following her alleged suspension from the party by the Wuse Ward executives in Abuja.
Justice Peter Lifu in
a ruling on Friday held that the issue of discipline and suspension upon which
the suit was predicated was an internal affairs of the ADC that did not need
the intervention of any court.
Senator Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory,
FCT, in the Senate, was said to have been suspended on March 10, 2026, by her
Wuse Ward executives over allegations of anti-party activities and disregard to
the constitution of the ADC.
Those who sued the senator in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/
CV/539/2026 are Okezuo Godfrey Anayo and Isaiah Ojonugwa Samuel, on behalf of
themselves and APC members of the ward as plaintiffs, while the serving senator
is the sole defendant.
In the suit filed on their behalf by a Senior Advocate of
Nigeria, SAN, Kolawole Olowookere, and argued before Justice Lifu, the
aggrieved ADC members in Wuse area of applied for an order of interim
injunction restraining Kingibe from parading herself as a member of ADC,
pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice for
interlocutory injunction.
They also asked the judge to restrain the senator from
performing any function, attending meetings or performing activities reserved
for ADC members or representing the party in any activities.
Besides, the Ward Executive Committee asked that she be
restrained from further interfering with the administration of the ward, ward
register and other activities.
The suit was predicated on five grounds among which are that
Mrs Kingibe was placed on suspension due to anti party activities, gross
misconduct and confiscation of the ward statutory records.
“The suspension followed due process as enshrined in the ADC
constitution and ratified by the two thirds majority of the Exco members.
“Despite the communication of the suspension to her, she has
continued to hold parallel meetings, issues press statements as ADC members and
using her security details to intimidate the Executive Committee.
“Her actions constitute flagrant disregard to the internal
mechanism of the party,” the plaintiffs claimed.
However in his ruling, Justice Peter Lifu wondered why those
who suspended the senator were in the court to seek validation of their own
action by court.
The judge held that it is Senator Ireti Kingibe, being the
one suspended, that ought to be in court to fight against the disciplinary
action against her, adding that the plaintiffs were not sure of themselves in
their own action, hence, they rushed to the court.
While holding that the suit was frivolous, baseless and
unfounded, Justice Peter Lifu invoked sections 82 and 83 of the Electoral Act
and imposed N10 million fine on the plaintiffs – to be paid to the FCT senator.
In the same vein, the judge imposed another fine of N10
million against the lawyer who filed the suit on behalf of the plaintiffs –
also to be paid to Ireti Kingibe.
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