Suspension; Court orders ADC ward executive to serve Kingibe by substituted means

The Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday granted an order directing the Wuse Ward Executive Committee of the African Democratic Party (ADC) to serve Senator Ireti Kingibe court documents by substituted means. 

Justice Peter Lifu made the order after counsel to the plaintiffs, B. A. Nenuwa, moved a motion ex-parte to that effect. 

Nenuwa said the order became necessary following the inability to serve Kingibe, who currently represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at the Senate, all the processes filed in the suit. 

After moving the motion, Justice Lifu granted the plaintiffs the permission to serve the originating processes, motions and all other processes in the suit on the lawmaker by substituted means by delivering the same on her legislative aides/secretary at her office at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. 

“The service, when effected, shall be deemed as good, proper and regular service on the defendant,” the judge ruled. 

Shortly after the ruling, Marshall Abubakar announced appearance for Kingibe. 

Abubakar told the court that he would be applying for the court documents in the suit and the judge granted the lawyer’s request. 

Justice Lifu said since Abubakar was in court on Kingibe’s behalf, he should liaise with the plaintiffs’ counsel so that he could receive the processes. 

The judge fixed April 2, 2026 for hearing. 

Two executive members of ADC in Wuse Ward, Abuja had sued the legislator, praying court to restrain her from parading herself as a member of the party.

Okezuo Kanayo, Chairman of ADC, Wuse Ward, and his Secretary, Isaiah Samuel, filed the suit through their lawyer, Dr. Maxwell Opara.

The originating motion was dated and filed on March 13, 2026 by Opara.

They prayed the court to declare that by virtue of the Constitution of the ADC, the Wuse Ward Executive Committee had the power to discipline and suspend any member of the party within its jurisdiction.

They also sought a declaration of the court that the suspension of Kingibe by the Wuse Ward Executive Committee of the ADC was valid and subsisting.

They prayed the court to declare that Kingibe cannot lawfully parade herself as a card-carrying member of the party during the subsistence of the said suspension.

They want the court to declare that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ADC cannot and should not lawfully recognise the defendant as a member of the party at any level during the subsistence of her suspension, among other reliefs. 

In the affidavit deposed to by Samuel, he averred that the senator is a member of the ADC registered under Wuse Ward.

According to him, sometime in 2026, the Ward Executive Committee received complaints regarding acts allegedly committed by the defendant contrary to the constitution of the party.

He accused Kingibe of anti-party activities, which he said, led to her suspension.