Court Declines Bid To Stop Senator Kingibe’s ADC Activities, Orders Hearing

Federal High Court rejects request to bar Kingibe from ADC activities, fixes April 20 hearing.

Justice Peter Lifu of a Federal High Court, Abuja, on Thursday,turned down request to temporarily stop the Senator representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Ireti Kingibe, from further participation in all activities of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), due to her alleged suspension from the party.

Justice Lifu, rather directed the plaintiffs; leaders of the ADC in Wuse Ward of the FCT, to put the senator on notice to show cause why their request should not be granted.

The judge predicated his decision on the grounds that such a request for prohibition from party activities and in political matters must be exercised judicially and judiciously, adding that justice would be met in the case of the plaintiffs only when the side of the defendant is heard on its merit, along with that of the plaintiffs.

Consequently, the judge ordered that Senator Ireti Kingibe should be served with all court processes by the plaintiffs to enable her become aware of the suit and to prepare her defence.

He subsequently fixed April 20, 2026, for the plaintiffs and the serving senator to appear before him for hearing of all applications in the matter.

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 ward members as plaintiffs, while the senator is the sole defendant.

In their ex-parte application, the Senator was said to have been suspended on March 10, 2026 by her Wuse Ward executives following allegations of anti-party activities and disregard of the Constitution of the ADC.

The plaintiffs through their lawyer, Kolawole Olowookere, SAN, applied for an order of interim injunction restraining Kingibe from parading herself as a member of the party, 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.

The suit was predicated on five grounds among which were that Kingibe was placed on suspension due to anti-party activities, gross misconduct and confiscation of the ward statutory records.

They argued that the suspension followed due process as enshrined in the ADC constitution and ratified by the two thirds majority of the EXCO members.

They averred that despite the communication of the suspension to Kingibe, she has continued to hold parallel meetings, issue press statements as an ADC member, and using her security details to intimidate the executive committee.

“Her actions constitute flagrant disregard to the internal mechanism of the party,” the plaintiffs stated.

Meanwhile, a lawyer, Abubakar Marshall, who claimed to be representing the senator, announced that he had filed a preliminary objection against the suit, adding that it was served on M. S. Garba, who stood for the plaintiffs at Thursday’s proceedings.