An Abuja Federal High Court dismissed an ex-parte application on Thursday seeking to prevent Senator Ireti Kingibe from taking part in activities of the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The application was filed by ward leaders of the ADC in Wuse who are aligned with former Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike. Presiding Judge Justice Peter Lifu rejected the request, declining to grant the order sought by the applicants. The court's decision allows Senator Kingibe to continue her involvement in the party without legal restraint. No reasons were given for the ruling.
The move by Wike-aligned ADC ward leaders to sideline Senator Kingibe failed in court, exposing the fragility of internal party maneuvers when tested legally. Justice Peter Lifu's swift dismissal suggests such attempts to exclude prominent members may not find favor in the judiciary. For Nigerian political actors, this signals that procedural overreach could backfire, especially when unity within minority parties is already strained. Kingibe remains a free actor in the ADC, for now.
