ADC crisis: Court adjourns suit against Ireti Kingibe until June 9

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Monday adjourned a suit seeking to stop Sen. Ireti Kingibe from parading herself as member of African Democratic Congress (ADC) until June 9 for hearing.

Justice Peter Lifu fixed the date, following an application for adjournment by counsel for the plaintiffs, I. G. Ogugwa.

Ogugwa, who said the matter was not a pre-election case shortly when it was called for hearing, prayed the court for a longer date.

Our correspondent reports that Justice Lifu had, on April 2, refused to grant an application seeking an interim order restraining Sen. Kingibe from parading herself as member of ADC.

The judge, in a ruling, rather ordered the plaintiffs in the suit to put Kingibe, who currently represents the FCT at the Senate, on notice to show cause why the reliefs sought should not be granted.

He then adjourned the matter until April 20 for hearing of all pending applications, including a preliminary objection filed by counsel to the lawmaker, Marshall Abubakar.

Two executive members of the ADC in Wuse Ward, Abuja had sued Kingibe as sole defendant.

The plaintiffs; Mr Okezuo Kanayo, Chairman of ADC, Wuse Ward, and his Secretary, Mr Isaiah Sameul, had filed the ex-parte motion through their lawyer, Kolawole Olowookere, SAN.

In the motion, dated March 17 and filed same day, the plaintiffs sought an order of interim injunction restraining Kingibe from performing any functions or participating in any activities reserved for ADC’s members in any capacity, pending the hearing and determination of the substantive suit.

in their seven grounds of argument, their lawyer submitted that Kingibe, though a sitting senator, is first a member of ADC and is bound by the party’s constitution.

He said following substantiated allegations of anti-party activities, gross misconduct, and the physical confiscation of the ward’s statutory records, the Wuse Ward Executive Committee, on March 10 suspended her.

According to Olowookere, the suspension followed due process as enshrined in the ADC Constitution and was ratified by a two-thirds majority of the executive committee.

The lawyer said Kingibe had continued to hold parallel meetings, issue press statements as an ADC member.

He alleged that the lawmaker also utilised her security detail to intimidate the ward executives, thereby creating a state of anarchy.