The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has alleged that there were attempts to pressure Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division, to step aside from the Nafiu Bala Gombe case.
The party warned that such a move could lead to the matter being reassigned to judges allegedly perceived to be politically pliable.
The opposition party noted the development pointed to what it described as efforts to influence the judicial process in a politically sensitive matter.
The allegation was contained in a statement on Thursday by the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, who claimed that ‘desperate forces within the corridors of power’ were trying to frustrate the course of justice by pushing for the judge’s recusal from the matter.
Abdullahi said: “The party 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.
“Judicial recusal is not a toy for political convenience. It is an extraordinary measure guided by law, facts, and established judicial principles, not by whispers from desperate political actors seeking favourable outcomes through the backdoor.”
The party said its legal team observed that although the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment had yet to be released or formally transmitted to the trial court, the matter was nevertheless 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,” Abdullahi stated.
According to the ADC, the development appeared inconsistent with earlier directives by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which it said ordered an accelerated hearing before the substantive trial judge.
Abdullahi said: “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.
“A judge does not abandon his constitutional duty merely because vested interests have manufactured allegations against him.”
The ADC warned that the situation could deepen concerns about political interference in the judiciary.
“The growing desperation to procure ‘friendly courts’ and ‘convenient judges’ poses a grave danger not only to opposition parties, but to the survival of constitutional democracy itself,” the party added.
The party called on the National Judicial Council, the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and members of the judiciary to intervene and ensure that the integrity of the judicial process was protected.
It also urged the international community and diplomatic missions in Nigeria to monitor developments surrounding the matter.
Drawing parallels with Nigeria’s political history, the ADC warned against a repeat of past judicial controversies linked to the collapse of democratic order.
The party said: “The collapse of democratic order in Nigeria’s First and Second Republics, as well as the tragic subversion of the June 12 mandate, cannot be discussed without reference to the shameful roles played by certain reckless judicial actors who wore the robes of judges by day and the garments of politicians by night.
“The judiciary must remain the last hope of the common man, and not the last refuge of desperate politicians terrified of justice. Nigeria’s democracy is too fragile to survive another season of judicial recklessness.”
