The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has issued a stern warning to the federal government, urging it to refrain from interfering in the party’s judicial proceedings. The party alleges covert attempts to pressure Justice Nwite into recusing himself from the ongoing case involving Nafiu Bala Gombe.
In a statement released on Thursday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC revealed that it has uncovered a disturbing plot by influential figures within the corridors of power. These forces, according to the party, are determined to obstruct justice by compelling Justice Nwite to step aside from the case, with the intention of having it reassigned to judges perceived as more amenable to political influence.
The ADC described this scheme as a direct assault on the integrity of the judiciary and a dangerous escalation of efforts to weaponize state institutions against opposition parties. The party emphasized that judicial recusal is not a tool for political convenience but an extraordinary measure governed by law and established principles.
According to the ADC’s legal team, the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment has not yet been released or formally communicated to the trial court. Despite this, the matter has been scheduled before Justice Nwite for May 8, 2026. The party views this unusual haste as part of a calculated strategy to force the judge’s recusal, thereby allowing the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to transfer the case to more compliant judges.
“This development runs contrary to both the spirit and letter of the directives earlier issued by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which ordered an accelerated hearing of the matter by the substantive trial judge,” the statement read.
The ADC warned that any attempt to remove the case from Justice Nwite—whether through administrative manipulation, intimidation, blackmail, or coordinated pressure—amounts to deliberate interference in the due administration of justice. It stressed that even if petitions exist against a judicial officer, due process requires that all parties be notified and heard before any decision is made.
“What is unfolding before Nigerians is an alarming attempt to bend the judiciary into an annex of partisan politics,” the party stated, noting that the desperation to procure favorable courts and convenient judges poses a grave danger not only to opposition parties but to the survival of constitutional democracy itself.
The ADC called on the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and all conscientious members of the judiciary to urgently intervene and halt this descent into judicial compromise. It also appealed to the international community and diplomatic missions in Nigeria to closely monitor these developments and impress upon the government that democracy cannot survive when courts are manipulated for partisan interests.
The party underscored that the independence of the judiciary is the bedrock of democratic society, and any attempt by state actors to intimidate judges, influence judicial assignments, or interfere in politically sensitive cases strikes at the heart of constitutional governance. The ADC concluded by warning that Nigeria must not slide into an era where justice is determined by political whims rather than the rule of law.