…Fines plaintiffs, lawyer N10m fine
The Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on Friday, struck out a suit seeking to bar Senator Ireti Kingibe from participating in all activities of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) following her alleged suspension from the party by the Wuse Ward Executive of the party in Abuja.
The trial judge, Justice Peter Lifu held in his ruling on the suit that, the issue of discipline and suspension upon which the suit was predicated was an internal affairs of the ADC and did not need the intervention of any Court.
Senator Kingibe, representing the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) in the Senate, was said to have been suspended on March 10 by her Wuse Ward Executive and also allegedly ratified by two thirds of the leaders on allegations of anti-party activities and disregard to the Constitution of the ADC.
Those who sued the Senator in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/ CV/539/2026 are Okezuo Godfrey Anayo and Isaiah Ojonugwa Samuel, on behalf of themselves and ward members as plaintiffs, while the serving Senator is the sole defendant.
In the suit filed on their behalf by Mr. Kolawole Olowookere, SAN, the aggrieved ADC members in Wuse of Abuja applied for an order of interim injunction restraining Kingibe from parading herself as a member of ADC pending the hearing and determination of their motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.
They also asked the judge to restrain the Senator from performing any function, attending meetings or performing activities reserved for ADC members or representing the party in any activities.
Besides, the Ward Executive Committee asked that the Senator restrained from further interfering with the administration of the ward, ward register and other activities.
The suit was hinged on five grounds, among which are that, Sen Kingibe was placed on suspension due to anti party activities, gross misconduct and confiscation of the ward statutory records.
“That the suspension followed due process as enshrined in the ADC Constitution and ratified by the two thirds majority of the Exco members.
“That, despite the communication of the suspension to her, she has continued to hold parallel meetings, issues press statements as ADC members and using her security details to intimidate the Executive Committee.
“That her actions constitute flagrant disregard to the internal mechanism of the party,” they claimed in the suit.
However in his ruling, Justice Peter Lifu wondered why those who suspended the Senator were in the court to seek validation of their own action by court and held that it is Senator Ireti Kingibe that was suspended that should be in court to fight against the disciplinary action against her.
The court held that, the plaintiffs were not sure of themselves in their own action, hence, they rushed to the court to validate it.
While holding that the suit was frivolous, baseless and unfounded, Justice Lifu invoked section 82 and 83 of the Electoral Act and imposed N10 million fine on the plaintiffs in favour of the FCT Senator.
In the same vein, the judge imposed another fine of N10 million against the lawyer who filed the frivolous suit on behalf of the plaintiffs to be paid to Senator Ireti Kingibe and struck out the case.
END
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