Lifu: When sentiments becloud our sense of judgement

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) is demanding the immediate release of Justice Peter Lifu's judgment regarding the leadership of the party and candidates from the party's primary elections. Justice Lifu ruled in favor of Nafiu Bala Gombe, dismissing the ADC leadership led by Senator David Mark and voiding the candidacy of former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar and all other primary candidates endorsed by Mark's officials.

ADC officials claim they submitted a formal application for a certified copy of the judgment and paid the required fee, yet they have been denied access to the ruling. The party argues this is an unacceptable denial of access to a court decision that directly affects their rights and the integrity of the electoral process. ADC spokesperson Phrank Shaibu highlighted the court's acknowledgment of the paid application, yet the judgment remains out of reach.

The ADC questions why a judge would announce a judgment as ready while denying the parties the certified copy they need to fully understand and challenge the decision. The party's National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, had raised concerns about Justice Lifu's impartiality based on previous appellate decisions, which the party believes call his competence and neutrality into question. These concerns were officially recorded.

The ADC contends that withholding the judgment not only damages public confidence in the judiciary but also casts doubt on the fairness of the court's proceedings. They demand the immediate release of the certified judgment and a public explanation for the delay, threatening further legal action if the request is not promptly granted.