Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed the attempt by the leadership of the African Democratic Congress in Wuse Ward, Federal Capital Territory (FCT), to bar Senator Ireti Kingibe from participating in all party activities following her alleged suspension.
Instead, the judge directed the ward leaders, reportedly loyal to the Minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, to formally notify the senator to appear in court and respond to their grievances.
In his ruling on Thursday, Justice Lifu emphasized that judicial discretion in requests to prohibit someone from party activities, especially in political matters, must be exercised carefully and judiciously.
The judge stated that justice for the plaintiffs can only be served if the defendant’s side is heard on its merits alongside that of the plaintiffs. Accordingly, he ordered that Senator Ireti Kingibe be served with all court processes to enable her to prepare her defense.
April 20, 2026, was set as the date for both the plaintiffs and Senator Ireti Kingibe to appear before the court for hearing of all applications in the case.
The plaintiffs, Okezuo Godfrey Anayo and Isaiah Ojonugwa Samuel, filed the suit on behalf of themselves and other ward members, naming Senator Kingibe as the sole defendant in suit FHC/ABJ/CV/539/2026.
According to their ex-parte application, Senator Kingibe was suspended on March 10, 2026, by her Wuse Ward executives over alleged anti-party activities and violations of the ADC constitution.
Filed on behalf of the plaintiffs by Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) Kolawole Olowookere, the application sought an interim injunction restraining Kingibe from presenting herself as a party member, attending meetings, performing party functions, or representing the ADC pending determination of their motion for interlocutory injunction.
The ward executives also requested that Ireti Kingibe be barred from interfering with the administration of the ward, the ward register, and other related activities.
The plaintiffs based their suit on five grounds, including claims of anti-party conduct, gross misconduct, and confiscation of ward statutory records. They argued that the suspension was carried out following due process as outlined in the ADC constitution and ratified by a two-thirds majority of the EXCO members.
Despite notification of her suspension, the plaintiffs alleged that Ireti Kingibe continued to hold parallel meetings, issue press statements as an ADC member, and use her security detail to intimidate the ward executives. They described her actions as a “flagrant disregard for the internal mechanisms of the party.”
Meanwhile, a lawyer, Abubakar Marshall, claiming to represent Senator Ireti Kingibe, announced that he had filed a preliminary objection to the suit, which was served on M. S. Garba, who represented the plaintiffs during Thursday’s proceedings.
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