By Wandoo Sombo
The Federal High Court, Abuja on Friday, struck out a suit seeking to uphold the indefinite suspension of Sen. Ireti Kingibe by the Wuse Ward chapter of the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
Delivering judgment, Justice Peter Lifu, held that issues relating to discipline and suspension within a political party remained the internal affairs of the party and did not require judicial intervention.
Justice Lifu questioned why the same party officials who suspended the senator approached the court to validate their own action.
The judge held that it ought to have been the suspended senator challenging the disciplinary action if she felt aggrieved.
He said the plaintiffs’ decision to seek judicial endorsement of their action suggested a lack of confidence in their own action.
Justice Lifu subsequently described the suit as frivolous, baseless and unfounded.
Invoking Sections 82 and 83 of the Electoral Act, the judge awarded a cost of N10 million against the plaintiffs in favour of Kingibe.
He also imposed an additional N10 million fine on the plaintiffs’ counsel for filing what he described as a frivolous suit, with the sum equally payable to the senator.
The News Agency of Nigeria, (NAN) reports that Kingibe, who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the Senate, was allegedly suspended on March 10 by the Wuse Ward Executives.
The executive members said they were suspending her for alleged anti-party activities and alleged disregard for the ADC constitution.
The suspension was said to have been ratified by two-thirds of the ward leadership.
The plaintiffs, Mr Okezuo Kanayo and Isaiah Samuel, in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CV/539/2026, instituted the action on behalf of themselves and other ward members, with Kingibe listed as the sole defendant.
The suit was filed by Mr Kolawole Olowookere, SAN, who on behalf of the plaintiffs, sought an interim injunction restraining the senator from parading herself as a member of the ADC.
This they said was pending the determination of a motion on notice filed by them.
The plaintiffs also prayed the court to restrain her from attending party meetings, performing functions reserved for ADC members, or representing the party in any capacity.
They further asked the court to stop Kingibe from interfering in the administration of the ward, including access to the ward register and other official activities.
They argued that the senator was suspended for alleged anti-party activities, gross misconduct and confiscation of statutory ward records.
According to them, the suspension followed due process as stipulated in the ADC constitution and was ratified by a two-thirds majority of the executive members.
The plaintiffs also alleged that in spite of being notified of her suspension, Kingibe continued to hold parallel meetings.
They said she also continued to issue statements as an ADC member and allegedly used security personnel to intimidate members of the ward executive.
NAN further reports that at the last adjourned date, counsel to Kingibe, Mr Marshall Abubakar told the court that the case had no merit as it was purely an internal affair of the party.
Abubakar held that the case ought to be dismissed with punitive cost.
He said that the party had a procedure for addressing cases such as the one before the court but that that procedure was not followed by the plaintiffs.
“The defendant was never invited for anything nor was there any complaint against her,” he said.
He added that the plaintiffs had no locus to institute the suit as they were themselves suspended by the party.
The lawyer prayed the court to dismiss the matter in its entirety and award a N25 million punitive cost against the plaintiffs.
Counsel to the plaintiffs, Mr I.G Ogugua had prayed the court to dismiss the arguments of the defendant.
Ogugua said that there was nothing sacrosant about the internal affairs of a political party where the constitution was breached.(NAN) (www.nannews.ng)