The National Youth Wing of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), in collaboration with allied civil society leaders, has called for the immediate dismissal of Justice Peter Odo Lifu of the Federal High Court from the Nigerian judiciary.
In a formal petition to the National Judicial Council (NJC), the group accused the judge of gross judicial misconduct and political motivation.
This is coming on the heels of Justice Lifu’s judgment directing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the ADC and four other political parties, a ruling that has already been stayed by the Court of Appeal.
Addressing journalists outside the ADC National Secretariat in Abuja, Comrade Ibrahim Garba Wala, who represented the ADC National Youth Leader, Comrade Balarabe Rufai, alleged that heavily armed security personnel had barricaded all access roads leading to the NJC headquarters on Thursday morning to prevent the youths from submitting the document.
“We demand the immediate and total removal of Hon. Justice Peter Odo Lifu from any and all adjudicatory matters, reviews, or decision-making roles concerning the ADC.”
“Furthermore, given his pattern of judicial misconduct, we demand that the National Judicial Council recommend his dismissal from the Nigerian judiciary in order to preserve the credibility of the bench,” Wala said.
The youth wing insisted that Justice Lifu intentionally went ahead with the party deregistration suit despite a subsisting Court of Appeal order that explicitly stayed proceedings in the lower court.
The group also accused the judge of overlooking critical procedural flaws, alleging that the plaintiffs amended their legal status during the trial without obtaining a valid court order.
“We cannot watch the political rights of millions of young Nigerians be auctioned off by compromised benches,” the petitioners said.
The group also threatened to expand its protest campaigns across the country until the NJC enforces disciplinary action against the judge, insisting they will remain resolute to protect the integrity of Nigeria’s democratic institutions ahead of future elections.