The Abuja Division of the Federal High Court on Monday ordered Nkemakolam Ukandu, the national welfare secretary of the African Democratic Party, to pay chief judge John Tsoho and Justice Peter Lifu N50 million each.

Justice Salim Ibrahim, in a ruling on an oral application made by J. U. K. Igwe, counsel for Messrs Tsoho and Lifu, ordered that N100 million should be paid within 14 days of the order.

The judge struck out Mr Ukandu’s case, which was filed against the National Judicial Council, Messrs Tsoho and Lifu, respectively, for lack of diligence.

Mr Ukandu had sued the NJC, the chief judge and Mr Lifu as the first, second, and third defendants, respectively, over alleged bias and disobedience to a court order.

Mr Ukandu, in a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1165/2026, sought an order compelling the NJC to investigate allegations of corruption, abuse of judicial powers and bias levelled against Messrs Tsoho and Lifu.

Neither the plaintiff nor his lawyer appeared before Mr Ibrahim since the matter was assigned to the judge.

The judge had, on June 30, threatened to dismiss the suit for the plaintiff’s or his lawyer’s failure to appear for the proceedings.

The suit stemmed from the ADC leadership crisis involving an aggrieved member, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, whose case is currently before Mr Lifu.

(NAN)