Court slams N100m fine on ADC official for suing FHC Chief Judge, Justice Lifu

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Monday slammed a N100 million fine on a chieftain and the National Welfare Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Nkemakolam Ukandu.

The court also struck out the suit filed by the ADC official against the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, and Justice Peter Lifu over alleged bias in a leadership suit involving the party.

Daily Trust reports that Ukandu had instituted the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1165/2026, naming the National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Tsoho, and Justice Lifu as the first, second, and third defendants, respectively.

Specifically, the ADC chieftain had asked Justice Lifu to immediately recuse himself from further hearing the suit challenging the leadership of the party under David Mark.

In the suit, Ukandu sought an order compelling the NJC to investigate allegations of corruption, abuse of judicial powers, and bias allegedly involving the two judges.

Ukandu predicated his motion for recusal on four grounds, stating: “The subject matter of the petition and the suit is on grounds of corruption, abuse of judicial powers, disobedience to court orders and bias by Justices John Tsoho and Peter Lifu against the Applicant.”

Ruling on the case on Monday, Justice Salim Ibrahim struck out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution after neither Ukandu nor his legal counsel appeared in court to prosecute the matter.

The court noted that neither the plaintiff nor his counsel had appeared since the matter was assigned to Justice Ibrahim.

At the previous sitting on June 30, the judge had warned that the suit would be dismissed if the plaintiff or his counsel failed to appear at the next adjourned date.

Justice Ibrahim, however, directed Ukandu to pay the total sum of ₦100 million within 14 days, following an oral application by J.U.K. Igwe, SAN, counsel to Justices Tsoho and Lifu.

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