Paul Ibe, spokesperson for Atiku Abubakar of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), has accused Justice Peter Lifu of deliberately undermining Nigeria’s democratic process. In a strongly worded statement, Ibe claimed the judge is steering multiple cases aimed at dissolving opposition parties.
Ibe pointed out that Justice Lifu, who controversially ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister ADC, Accord Party, and three other political groups, is also hearing a case targeting the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC). He argued that a democracy that suppresses opposition parties is doomed to fail.
Taking to his X account on Wednesday, Ibe insisted that democracy cannot thrive when opposition voices are silenced. He described the judge as unfit for any judicial role, echoing remarks from the Court of Appeal that questioned his competence. According to Ibe, Lifu does not even deserve to sit on a beer parlour bench.
Ibe’s remarks come amid growing tension over judicial interventions in political party registrations. The Court of Appeal had earlier stayed the deregistration of ADC, offering a temporary reprieve. However, Ibe insists that the battle is far from over, warning against what he sees as a coordinated attack on democratic plurality.