The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has raised fresh concerns over what it described as an alleged plot to remove Justice Emeka Nwite from the ongoing court case involving the party’s national chairman, Nafiu Bala Gombe.
The opposition party accused unnamed government officials and political actors of attempting to interfere with the judicial process by allegedly mounting pressure on the judge to withdraw from the matter.
ADC made the allegation in a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi. The party warned that any move aimed at forcing the judge out of the case would undermine the credibility of the judiciary and threaten democratic principles in the country.
According to the statement, the party had received information suggesting that “desperate forces within the corridors of power” were working behind the scenes to ensure that Justice Nwite steps aside from the case.
The ADC claimed the alleged plan was to have the matter reassigned to another judge believed to be more favourable to certain political interests.
“The ADC has uncovered a disturbing plot by desperate forces within the corridors of power to frustrate the course of justice by mounting pressure on Justice Nwite to step aside from the case so that it can be reassigned to judges perceived to be pliable and politically compliant,” the statement read.
The party described the alleged development as a dangerous attempt to weaponise state institutions against opposition voices ahead of critical political activities in the country.
Abdullahi stated that information available to the ADC legal team showed that although the Certified True Copy of the Supreme Court judgment had yet to be formally released or transmitted to the trial court, the matter was still fixed for hearing before Justice Nwite on May 8, 2026.
According to him, the development raised suspicions that certain individuals were deliberately pushing for circumstances that could compel the judge to recuse himself from the case.
The party argued that such a move would directly contradict earlier directives reportedly issued by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which ordered that the matter should be heard speedily by the substantive trial judge already handling the case.
“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,” Abdullahi said.
The ADC further maintained that judicial recusal must never become a political strategy used to influence the outcome of sensitive cases.
The party warned against what it described as a growing pattern of seeking “friendly courts” and “convenient judges” to secure political advantage.
It added that such actions could weaken public confidence in the judiciary and further deepen political tension in the country.
The opposition party called on the National Judicial Council, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and senior members of the judiciary to resist any form of intimidation or interference in the handling of the matter.
ADC also appealed to members of the international community and diplomatic missions in Nigeria to closely monitor developments surrounding the case.
“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 party also referenced past political crises in Nigeria, including the collapse of democratic governments in the First and Second Republics and the annulment of the June 12 presidential election, insisting that judicial compromise played a role in those events.
ADC warned that the country’s democracy could face another serious setback if political interference in the judiciary is allowed to continue unchecked.
“The judiciary must remain the last hope of the common man, and not the last refuge of desperate politicians terrified of justice,” the statement said.
