The African Democratic Congress (ADC), on Friday, May 8, 2027 raised alarm over an alleged attempt by agents of the Federal Government to manipulate the judiciary through efforts to change the judge handling the party’s leadership dispute involving it and Nafiu Bala.
This was as the ADC pointedly accused Bala and his agents of the federal government drumming support for him of attempting to turn the judiciary into “a shopping mall where judges are selected to suit political interests”.
The opposition party warned against what it described as judicial intimidation and forum shopping, stressing that courts must remain independent and free from political influence or orchestrated campaigns aimed at swaying judicial proceedings.
These were contained in a statement by Bolaji Abdullahi, National Publicity Secretary of the ADC, in which he stressed that its concerns were further reinforced following a letter reportedly written by Bala requesting the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to reassign the case to another judge.
The ADC emphasised that the move confirmed what it described as a “sinister plot” allegedly orchestrated by a senior federal official, insisting that the matter has shifted from a legal dispute to what it termed as “political desperation”.
It said; “You cannot institute a case and then seek to determine which judge should preside over it simply because proceedings are not going in your favour. No litigant has the right to choose a judge in his own case”.
The ADC particularly questioned attempts to seek an indefinite adjournment despite directives from the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court calling for accelerated hearing of the matter, arguing that rather than allow the case to proceed expeditiously, Bala and his handlers were allegedly trying to delay proceedings until they could secure a favourable outcome through judicial manipulation.
The ADC described the development as part of the political interference that has damaged public confidence in the judiciary, adding however, that remain committed to the adherence of the rule of law.
