An Abuja Division of the Federal High Court has dismissed a suit seeking to bar Senator Ireti Kingibe from participating in the activities of the African Democratic Congress, while awarding a total cost of ₦20 million against the plaintiffs and their counsel.
Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered the ruling on Friday, held that disciplinary actions, suspensions, and leadership disagreements within political parties remain internal affairs that should be resolved through party mechanisms rather than judicial intervention.
The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CV/539/2026, was instituted by Okezuo Godfrey Anayo and Isaiah Ojonugwa Samuel on behalf of other party members, with Senator Kingibe named as the sole defendant.
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The plaintiffs had approached the court seeking an interim injunction restraining the senator from presenting herself as a member of the ADC, attending party meetings, performing party functions, or representing the party pending the determination of the substantive suit.
Through their counsel, Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kolawole Olowookere, the plaintiffs argued that Kingibe had been suspended by Wuse Ward executives of the party on March 10, 2026, over alleged anti-party activities, gross misconduct, and alleged confiscation of ward documents.
According to them, “the suspension followed due process as enshrined in the ADC constitution and ratified by the two thirds majority of the Exco members.”
The plaintiffs further alleged that despite being informed of the suspension, the senator continued to hold parallel meetings and issue statements as a member of the party.
“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,” they claimed.
But Justice Lifu questioned the legal basis of the suit, holding that the plaintiffs had approached the court to validate a disciplinary action they themselves initiated.
The judge held that Senator Kingibe, being the aggrieved party, ought to have approached the court if she intended to challenge the suspension.
Describing the suit as “frivolous, baseless, and unfounded,” the court dismissed the action and invoked Sections 82 and 83 of the Electoral Act in awarding punitive costs.
Justice Lifu consequently ordered the plaintiffs to pay ₦10 million to Senator Kingibe as compensation for what he described as an abuse of judicial process.
The court also imposed an additional ₦10 million fine against the plaintiffs’ counsel, Kolawole Olowookere, SAN, bringing the total award in favour of the senator to ₦20 million.
