The African Democratic Congress, ADC, has petitioned the National Judicial Council, NJC, seeking an investigation into Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, and Justice Binta Fatima Nyako over alleged bias and judicial misconduct in the suit filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe against the party’s leadership.

The petition follows months of legal battle over the ADC leadership tussle between Gombe’s faction and the David Mark-led interim national executive. The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025, is before the Federal High Court, Abuja.

ADC, through its National Publicity Secretary Bolaji Abdullahi, alleged attempts by “desperate forces within corridors of power” to pressure Justice Emeka Nwite to recuse himself from the case so it could be reassigned to judges “perceived to be pliable and politically compliant”. The party warned that such moves amount to interference in the administration of justice.

Gombe’s counsel, Luka Haruna, SAN, had on May 4, 2026, written to Chief Judge Tsoho seeking the transfer of the case to another judge. Justice Nwite adjourned the matter sine die on Friday to await the CJ’s administrative decision and to allow parties file the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment delivered on April 30, 2026, which dismissed Mark’s interlocutory appeal for lack of merit.

ADC’s counsel Shaibu Enejoh Aruwa, SAN, had earlier written the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, warning that delay in the Supreme Court judgment on the appeal marked SC/CV/180/2026 could jeopardize the party’s participation in the 2027 general elections. The Supreme Court heard the appeal on April 22, 2026, and reserved judgment.

The Mark-led faction insists the Federal High Court lacks jurisdiction over internal party matters, while Gombe’s faction is challenging the legitimacy of Mark and former Osun Governor Rauf Aregbesola’s takeover of ADC leadership.

Source: Daily Post Nigeria, Punch Newspapers, Tribune Online