ADC petitions Judge after Appeal Court overturns deregistration ruling

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC) against Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja, following the Court of Appeal’s decision to overturn the judgment that deregistered the party and four others.

The disclosure was made on Wednesday by the party’s lawyer, Alex Adum, during an interview on Arise Television’s Morning Show.

Adum was reacting to Tuesday’s Court of Appeal judgment, which nullified the Federal High Court’s ruling ordering the deregistration of the ADC, Accord Party and three other political parties.

He described Justice Lifu’s judgment as “perverse” and an example of judicial overreach, arguing that the appellate court’s verdict reaffirmed constitutional principles and the rule of law.

According to the lawyer, the Court of Appeal held that the plaintiffs lacked the legal standing to institute the suit, a finding he said underscored a failure to observe judicial discipline and established legal procedures.

READ ALSO; Appeal Court nullifies Court order deregistering ADC, Accord, three other political parties

“The ADC has filed a petition against Justice Lifu. The Court of Appeal judgment on the ADC’s validity is a return to constitutionalism, the rule of law, and multiparty democracy in Nigeria,” Adum said.

He welcomed the appellate court’s decision, saying it made significant pronouncements by declaring that the case seeking the deregistration of the five political parties lacked merit.

Adum also faulted the trial judge for proceeding with the ruling despite what he described as overwhelming evidence to the contrary.

“It was strange that, despite all the evidence before him, Justice Lifu still went ahead to deliver that perverse judgment at the Federal High Court, which was an overreach,” he stated.

The lawyer further alleged that similar actions by some judges of the Federal High Court had become a recurring concern, urging the NJC to take disciplinary action.

He said the Court of Appeal’s judgment should serve as a basis for the judicial regulator to investigate and sanction judges found to have acted outside the bounds of the law.

“It is now incumbent on the National Judicial Council to activate its disciplinary procedures to ensure that these kinds of justices are punished,” Adum added.

The Court of Appeal had on Tuesday set aside the Federal High Court’s judgment that deregistered the ADC, Accord Party and three other political parties, restoring their legal status and reaffirming the constitutional protection of Nigeria’s multi party democratic system.