Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for the African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council, has alleged that Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has, with his recent judgements against the ADC, shown his determination to ensure that President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress contests the 2027 election unopposed.

Mr Okonkwo made the allegation in a statement on Thursday, following Mr Lifu’s judgement, sacking the David Mark-Led ADC, de-recognising every action taken under his leadership, and invalidating Mr Abubakar’s candidacy.

Mr Okonkwo, while describing Mr Lifu’s judgement as “absurd”, said the judge “had never hidden his determination to dissolve ADC and ensure that the party does not participate in the forthcoming 2027 general election for political reasons rather than to uphold justice.”

“The judgement of Justice Peter Lifu against ADC is respectfully a continuation of judicial recklessness, rascality, and impertinence, orchestrated to ensure that Tinubu runs unopposed in 2027,” Mr Okonkwo added.

Mr Okonkwo, who noted that legislation and Supreme Court judgements have barred the courts from interfering in the internal affairs of political parties, based his allegation on Mr Lifu’s earlier June 20 judgement deregistering the ADC and four other political parties, in the case of the National Forum of Former Legislators v. INEC and Five Political Parties, despite an extant Court of Appeal order restraining him from doing so. 

He recalled that the Appeal Court had described Mr Lifu’s June 20 judgement as a display of judicial rascality and judicial impertinence. Consequently, he ruled him unfit to sit on the bench. 

Mr Okonkwo urged the National Judicial Council to immediately implement the ruling against him before the country is set ablaze by his “unconscionable decision of a rascal and impertinent judge.”

Mr Okonkwo said Mr Lifu’s judgement on Wednesday came on the heels of the successful Sokoto State flag-off rally of the ADC, which sent shock waves to the APC, and is nothing but the ruling party’s resolve to use the judiciary to muscle the opposition out of the 2027 election.

He urged Nigerians to disregard Mr Lifu’s judgement and keep supporting the ADC and Mr Abubakar to rescue Nigeria from the APC, which he described as incompetent and corrupt.

“ADC will seek appropriate judicial remedies that will bring to nought this ignoble judgement from Justice Lifu as it did when the same Judge unreasonably and illegally deregistered ADC and other four political parties,” Mr Okonkwo vowed.