By SCM Correspondent
ABUJA, Nigeria – The national leadership of the Labour Party (LP) has raised an alarm over what it describes as the continuous degradation of Nigeria’s judicial system, claiming that the party has become the “worst hit” by a series of alleged miscarriages of justice delivered by Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court.
The opposition party made this assertion while reacting to a recent court judgement delivered by Justice Lifu which ordered the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deregister the African Democratic Congress (ADC) alongside five other political parties.
In a statement signed over the weekend by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Obiora Ifoh, the Labour Party accused the jurist of “judicial rascality” and neglecting well-established legal principles to allegedly favour Abia State Governor, Alex Otti, and Senator Nenadi Usman in a leadership suit brought against Julius Abure and others.
According to the party, Justice Lifu’s controversial rulings have left the LP “crippled” and facing an “existential threat.”
‘Red Flags and Hatchet Job’
Tracing the roots of its grievance, the LP spokesperson detailed the chronological events surrounding suit no: FHC/ABJ/CS/2262/2025, which challenged the party’s national convention held on March 27, 2024.
Ifoh explained that the case was initially assigned to Justice J. K. Omotosho, who had previously given legal opinions on the party’s convention. However, the matter was curiously discontinued on October 28, 2025, and subsequently re-filed and re-assigned to Justice Lifu.
”This was our first major red flag; we suspected that something was in the offing,” Ifoh stated.
The party further alleged that during the proceedings on November 3, 2025, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) filed a fresh motion for joinder that raised fundamental issues. Despite the LP’s request for an adjournment to respond to these new claims, Justice Lifu reportedly refused.
”Justice Peter Lifu descended to the arena and insisted that the matter must go on that day. He was acting like a man in a hurry to conclude a task. He eventually did the hatchet job for Governor Alex Otti and Senator Nenadi Usman,” Ifoh alleged, adding that camp members of the Abia State Governor were already celebrating the outcome on social media prior to the judgement day.
The Labour Party argued that the judgement directly violates core judicial tenets in Nigeria, including the principle that political party leadership is an internal affair, that lower courts lack the power to interpret or alter Supreme Court decisions, and the constitutional right to a fair hearing.
”Our democracy, party politics, the rule of law, our constitution, and the Electoral Act are under serious threat. If the courts continue in this manner, it will be very clear that our democracy is heading towards destruction,” the statement warned.
While expressing regret that the Court of Appeal subsequently affirmed Justice Lifu’s ruling, the LP stated that its ultimate hope now rests on the apex court.
”We believe that the Supreme Court will do justice to the matter and do the right thing, being the final court of redress,” Ifoh concluded.