The Federal High Court, Abuja Division, on Thursday, granted an order directing the Wuse ward executive committee of the African Democratic Congress to serve Senator Ireti Kingibe court documents by substituted means.

Justice Peter Lifu made the order after counsel to the plaintiffs, B. A. Nenuwa, moved a motion ex parte to the effect.

Mr Nenuwa said the order became necessary following the inability to serve Kingibe, who currently represents the Federal Capital Territory at the Senate, all the processes filed in the suit.

The judge granted the plaintiffs permission to serve the originating processes, motions, and all other processes in the suit on the lawmaker by substituted means, by delivering them to her legislative aides or secretary at her office at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.

“The service when effected, shall be deemed as good, proper and regular service on the defendant,” the judge ruled.

Shortly after the ruling, Marshall Abubakar announced that he was appearing for Ms Kingibe. Mr Abubakar told the court that he would be applying for the court documents in the suit, and the judge granted the lawyer’s request.

The judge said since Mr Abubakar was in court on Ms Kingibe’s behalf, he should liaise with the plaintiffs’ counsel so that he could receive the processes.

The judge fixed April 2 for the hearing.

The two executive members of ADC in Wuse ward, Abuja, had sued the legislator, seeking a court order restraining her from parading herself as a member of the party.

Okezuo Kanayo, chairman of ADC at the ward, and his secretary, Isaiah Sameul, filed the suit through their lawyer, Maxwell Opara.

The originating motion was dated and filed by Mr Opara on March 13.

They prayed the court to declare that by virtue of the constitution of the ADC, the Wuse ward executive committee had the power to discipline and suspend any member of the party within its jurisdiction.

They also sought a declaration of the court that the suspension of Ms Kingibe by the Wuse ward executive committee of the ADC was valid and subsisting. They asked the court to declare that Ms Kingibe cannot lawfully parade herself as a card-carrying member of the party during the subsistence of the said suspension.

They want the court to declare that the National Working Committee of the ADC cannot and should not lawfully recognise the defendant as a member of the party at any level during the subsistence of her suspension, among other reliefs.

In the affidavit deposed to by Mr Samuel, he averred that the senator was a member of ADC registered under Wuse ward.

According to him, sometime in 2026, the ward executive committee received complaints about acts allegedly committed by Ms Kingibe that were contrary to the party’s constitution.

He accused Ms Kingibe of anti-party activities, which he said led to her suspension.

(NAN)