In a press statement published on his official X handle on Thursday, November 5, 2026, Kenneth Okonkwo, spokesperson for former Vice President Atiku Abubakar and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) Presidential Campaign Council, has condemned the judgement of Justice Peter Lifu, which reportedly affected the leadership of the party under former Senate President David Mark.
Okonkwo described the judgement as absurd, alleging that the presiding judge had consistently demonstrated an intention to dissolve the ADC and prevent it from participating in the 2027 general election for political reasons.
Okonkwo said: “The judgement of Justice Lifu in which he purportedly sacked the David Mark-Led leadership of ADC and de-recognised every action taken by ADC under David Mark is absurd but not surprising. Justice Lifu is the Judge that 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.”
According to Okonkwo, the judge had, on June 20, 2026, deregistered the ADC and four other political parties in a case involving the National Forum of Former Legislators, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and five political parties.
He stated, “In the case of the National Forum of Former Legislators v. INEC and Five Political Parties, Justice Lifu deregistered ADC and the other four political parties on 20 June 2026 even when there was an extant Court of Appeal order restraining him from doing so. The COA described his action as a display of judicial rascality and judicial impertinence. The Appellate Court consequently declared that Justice Lifu was unfit to sit on the bench.”
The ADC spokesperson said the party had earlier expressed concerns about the possibility of receiving justice in the case instituted by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the ADC before Justice Lifu. He explained that the party had sought the transfer of all cases involving it from the judge because of what he described as his previously expressed intention to dissolve the party.
He said, “ADC subsequently alerted the whole world that it was not expecting justice in the Nafiu Bala Gombe case against ADC pending before Justice Lifu’s court, since he had declared his intention to illegally dissolve the ADC. The party consequently sought the transfer of all the cases involving ADC from Justice Lifu.”
He said the ADC unveiled the David Mark-led National Working Committee on July 2, 2025, before its National Executive Committee dissolved the previous executive and installed the new leadership.
He stated: “ADC, on 2 July 2025, unveiled the David Mark-Led National Working Committee, and on 29 July 2025, through its National Executive Committee, in the presence and approval of INEC, dissolved the ADC National Executive Committee, and replaced it with the David Mark-Led Leadership of ADC.
The ADC spokesperson subsequently called on the National Judicial Council (NJC) to intervene, citing the alleged position of the Court of Appeal concerning Justice Lifu. “The judgement, coming on the heels of the successful Sokoto flagoff rally of ADC, which sent shock waves to APC, is nothing other than APC’s determination to use the judiciary to muscle the opposition out of 2027 election,” he said.
He also urged Nigerians to disregard the judgement and continue supporting the ADC and Atiku Abubakar ahead of the 2027 general election. “Nigerians should disregard this judgement and continue to fully support ADC and HE Atiku Abubakar for the rescue of this country from the incompetent and corrupt APC. ADC will seek appropriate judicial remedies that will bring to nought this ignoble judgement from Justice Lifu.”
COURTESY: AayeeshaUPDATE
