The Federal High Court in Abuja has slapped a N1 million fine on the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and its National Secretary, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, for trying to force the judge off a case. Justice Peter Lifu, delivering a ruling on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, dismissed their motions for his recusal as baseless and a cheap attempt to blackmail the court.

The judge said the motions, filed separately by ADC and Aregbesola, lacked any credible evidence of bias. He noted that the applications were filed even before the court had assumed jurisdiction over the suit brought by party member Nafiu-Bala Gombe. "There isn't any iota of bias found," Lifu said. He described the allegations as an abuse of court process and a clear case of forum shopping — where litigants try to pick a judge they think will favour them.

"It's a cheap attempt to blackmail and intimidate the court. Nobody can intimidate the court," the judge declared. He warned that granting such applications without solid evidence would set a dangerous precedent, allowing lawyers to shop for judges whenever they sense a case might not go their way.

Justice Lifu dismissed both motions and ordered ADC and Aregbesola to pay N500,000 each to the plaintiff, Nafiu-Bala Gombe. The case was adjourned to June 23 for hearing of all pending applications.

Earlier, a lawyer named Kalu-Kalu Agu, representing Nkemakolam Ukandu — the National Welfare Secretary of ADC — tried to stop the ruling. He argued that since Justice Lifu had on Monday ordered INEC to deregister ADC for failing to meet constitutional requirements, the party was legally dead and the ruling shouldn't proceed. But the judge fired back: "Are you a party in this suit? Who joined you, or did you join yourself in your chambers?"

Gombe's lawyer, Robert Emukpoeruo, SAN, backed the judge, saying Agu wasn't yet a party until formally joined by the court. When Agu tried to respond, Lifu threatened to invoke the court's powers against him.

This isn't the first time ADC has faced internal turmoil. The party has been embroiled in leadership disputes for years, with factions loyal to different leaders. Aregbesola, a former Osun State governor, has been at the centre of several court battles over the party's leadership. The case by Nafiu-Bala Gombe is one of many challenging the party's internal affairs.

Justice Lifu made it clear that judges mustn't bow to pressure. "A judge must be firm in doing justice and not dance to the whims and caprices of counsel. No court worth its salt should allow this," he said.