The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused unnamed government agents of attempting to interfere in an ongoing judicial matter involving Nafiu Bala Gombe, alleging that pressure is being mounted on Justice Nwite to recuse himself from the case.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the opposition party warned the federal government to “hands off judicial matters” and immediately halt what it described as covert efforts to manipulate the judicial process.
The party alleged that “desperate forces within the corridors of power” were plotting to frustrate the course of justice by compelling Justice Nwite to step aside so the case could be reassigned to judges “perceived to be pliable and politically compliant.”
According to the ADC, “this sinister plot, if allowed to stand, represents a direct assault on the integrity of the judiciary and a dangerous escalation in the ongoing attempts to weaponise state institutions against the opposition.”
The party further claimed that information available to its legal team indicated that although the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment had not yet been released or formally communicated to the trial court, the matter had nevertheless been fixed before Justice Nwite for May 8, 2026.
“We have credible reasons to believe that this unusual haste is part of a calculated scheme to force Justice Nwite into recusing himself, thereby creating an opening for the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to transfer the matter to judges allegedly considered more amenable to political influence,” the statement said.
The ADC argued that such a move would contradict earlier directives of both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which it said ordered an accelerated hearing of the matter by the substantive trial judge.
“Any attempt to remove the case from Justice Nwite, whether by administrative manipulation, intimidation, blackmail, or coordinated pressure, amounts to a deliberate interference in the due administration of justice,” the party stated.
The party stressed that judicial recusal should not be used for “political convenience,” insisting that it remained “an extraordinary measure guided by law, facts, and established judicial principles.”
It added: “A judge does not abandon his constitutional duty merely because vested interests have manufactured allegations against him.”
The ADC warned that attempts to secure “friendly courts” and “convenient judges” posed a serious threat to constitutional democracy and the independence of the judiciary.
The party therefore called on the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and members of the judiciary to intervene and prevent what it described as “a dangerous descent into judicial compromise.”
It also urged the international community and diplomatic missions in Nigeria to monitor developments closely.
“The independence of the judiciary remains the bedrock of every democratic society, and any attempt by state actors to intimidate judges, influence judicial assignments, or interfere in politically sensitive cases strikes at the very heart of constitutional governance,” the statement added.
The ADC further warned against what it described as a repeat of past judicial failures that contributed to political crises in Nigeria’s history, including the collapse of the First and Second Republics and the annulment of the June 12 presidential election.
“Those currently entrusted with the sacred responsibility of administering justice must resist every attempt to drag the judiciary into the muddy waters of political conspiracy,” the party stated.
“The judiciary must remain the last hope of the common man, and not the last refuge of desperate politicians terrified of justice.”
