Court Dismisses Suit Seeking to Bar Ireti Kingibe From ADC Activities

The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a suit seeking to prohibit 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 in Abuja.

Justice Peter Odo Lifu in a ruling on held that the issue of discipline and suspension upon which the suit was predicated was an internal affairs of the ADC that 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.

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Those who sued the Senator 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 a Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Kolawole Olowookere and argued before Justice Lifu, 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 she be restrained from further interfering with the administration of the ward, ward register and other activities.

The suit was predicated on five grounds among which are that Mrs Kingibe was placed on suspension due to anti party activities, gross misconduct and confiscation of the ward statutory records.

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.

The Judge held that it is Senator Ireti Kingibe being the one suspended ought to be the one in court to fight against the disciplinary action against her adding that the plaintiffs were not sure of themselves in their own action, hence, they rushed to the court.

While holding that the suit was frivolous, baseless and unfounded, Justice Peter Lifu invoked section 82 and 83 of the Electoral Act and imposed N10M fine on the plaintiffs to be paid to the FCT Senator.

In the same vein, the judge imposed another fine of N10M against the lawyer who filed the frivolous suit on behalf of the plaintiffs to be also paid to Ireti Kingibe.