The youth wing of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) has formally petitioned the National Judicial Council (NJC), calling for the removal of Justice Peter Odo Lifu from any cases involving the party. The petition, submitted on June 18, 2026, accuses Lifu of judicial misconduct and demands his dismissal from the Nigerian judiciary.
Speaking on behalf of ADC youth leader Comrade Balarabe Rufai, Comrade Ibrahim Garba Wala alleged that security forces blocked access to the NJC headquarters, preventing them from delivering the petition in person. Wala claimed heavily armed agents barricaded routes to the council on Thursday, forcing them to present the document publicly.
The petition describes Lifu’s ruling in suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026 as a “calculated, politically motivated act” aimed at shrinking democratic space. It argues that the judge proceeded despite a binding Court of Appeal order staying proceedings, which the youth wing calls a violation of legal principles and gross misconduct.
“Our democratic architecture faces a coordinated assault from compromised custodians of the law,” the petition states. It also alleges that the plaintiffs altered their legal identity without court approval and that the judiciary has failed to address systemic issues eroding public trust.
The ADC youth leader warned that the judiciary’s integrity is at stake, saying, “We will not allow any court to rob us of our political expression.” The protest comes after Lifu ordered INEC to deregister five opposition parties, a decision the Appeal Court later stayed.