A fresh crisis has erupted in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where the party has asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to prohibit Senator Ireti Kingibe from parading herself as its member.
The Wuse ward of the ADC and ward of the Senior instituted the suit praying for an order to restraining Ireti Kingibe from parading herself as a member of the party.
The move came 48 hours the senator was placed on indefinite suspension by the party’s Executive Committee in the Wuse ward
In an originating summons filed by the ADC’s lawyer, Maxwell Opara, the party asked the court to declare that the Wuse Ward Executive Committee has the constitutional authority to discipline and suspend members within its jurisdiction.
The ADC is also asking the court to affirm that the suspension of Kingibe, who represents the FCT in the National Assembly, remains valid and subsisting.
The plaintiffs in the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/539/2026, are Okezuo Godfrey Kanayo, Chairman of ADC in Wuse Ward and Isaiah Ojonugwa Samuel, the ward secretary.
They filed the suit on behalf of themselves and the Wuse Ward Executive Committee.
Among the reliefs sought is a declaration that Kingibe cannot lawfully parade herself as a member or card-carrying member of the ADC while the suspension remains in force.
The plaintiffs also asked the court to declare that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ADC should not recognise Kingibe as a party member at any level during the period of her suspension.
The suit further requests the court to validate the decision of the Wuse Ward Executive Committee to suspend the senator.
According to court documents, the action was brought pursuant to Sections 6(6)(B) and 251 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended), as well as Article 16 of the ADC constitution and Order 3 Rules 6 and 7 of the Federal High Court (Civil Procedure) Rules 2019.
The plaintiffs also relied on the inherent jurisdiction of the Federal High Court in seeking judicial interpretation and enforcement of the party’s constitutional provisions.
Among others, they asked the court to determine whether having regard to the Constitution of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the Wuse Ward Executive Committee possesses the power to discipline and suspend a member of the party?
“Whether the suspension of the Defendant, Senator Ireti Kingibe, by the Wuse Ward Executive Committee of the Claimant is valid and binding?
“Whether the Defendant, having been suspended from the party at the ward level, can lawfully parade herself as a card-carrying member of the ADC.
“Whether the National Working Committee of the ADC can lawfully recognize the Defendant as a member of the party notwithstanding her suspension by the ward.
Upon the resolution of the questions in the affirmative, plaintiffs asked for declaration
that by virtue of the Constitution of the African Democratic Congress, the Wuse Ward Executive Committee possesses the power to discipline and suspend members of the party within its jurisdiction.
That the suspension of the Defendant, Senator Ireti Kingibe, by the Wuse Ward Executive Committee of the ADC is valid and subsisting and that the Defendant cannot lawfully parade and should not parade herself as a member or card-carrying member of the African Democratic Congress during the subsistence of the said suspension.
That the National Working Committee of the ADC cannot and should not lawfully recognize the Defendant as a member of the party at any level during the subsistence of her suspension.
Plaintiffs applied for an order affirming and validating the suspension of the Defendant by the Wuse Ward Executive Committee of the Claimant.
They also sought an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Defendant from parading herself as a member of the ADC pending the determination of her disciplinary status within the party.
Meanwhile, no date has yet been fixed for hearing of the suit.
