Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court in Abuja has dismissed an application by African Democratic Congress (ADC) leaders in Wuse Ward, FCT, seeking to prevent Senator Ireti Kingibe from taking part in party activities. The court's decision comes after Kingibe challenged her alleged suspension by the ward executives. Justice Lifu ruled that the ward leaders lacked the authority to suspend a national figure and restrained them from interfering with her participation in ADC affairs. The judge affirmed that only the party's national executive has the power to initiate disciplinary actions against a senatorial candidate. Senator Kingibe's legal team argued that the move by the ward was unconstitutional and violated the party's internal guidelines. The court concurred, stating that the action undermined due process within the party's structure.
\nA court has affirmed that local party executives cannot unilaterally suspend a senatorial candidate. Senator Ireti Kingibe remains free to operate within the ADC despite internal disputes. This ruling reinforces the hierarchy in party discipline, making it harder for grassroots factions to sideline top-level members. For Nigerian politics, it means national party structures will likely retain tighter control over dispute resolution.
