Nafiu Gombe: FG attempting to arm twist judge, ADC alleges  

By Myke Uzendu, Abuja
 
 
The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused unnamed government agents of allegedly attempting to interfere in an ongoing judicial matter involving one of its members, warning against what it described as efforts to compromise the independence of the judiciary.
 
 
In a statement issued on Wednesday by its National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, the party alleged that pressure was being mounted on Justice Emeka Nwite to recuse himself from a case involving Nafiu Bala Gombe.
 
 
The party claimed that certain forces within government circles were seeking to frustrate the judicial process by influencing the reassignment of the matter to judges allegedly perceived as favourable to political interests.
 
 
According to the ADC, the matter was unexpectedly fixed before Justice Nwite for hearing on May 8, 2026, despite the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment not yet being released or formally transmitted to the trial court.
 
 
The party described the development as “unusual haste,” alleging that it formed part of a broader strategy aimed at forcing the judge to step aside from the case.
 
 
The ADC argued that such actions, if true, would amount to a direct attack on the integrity of the judiciary and an attempt to undermine constitutional democracy.
 
 
It maintained that both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court had earlier directed an accelerated hearing before the substantive trial judge, insisting that any move to remove the case from Justice Nwite through “administrative manipulation, intimidation, or coordinated pressure” would be unacceptable.
 
 
The opposition party further warned against turning judicial recusal into what it called a political tool, stressing that such decisions should only be guided by established legal principles and due process.
 
 
The ADC called on the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and other stakeholders within the judiciary to resist any attempt to compromise judicial independence.
 
 
It also urged the international community and diplomatic missions in Nigeria to monitor developments closely, warning that the manipulation of courts for partisan purposes poses a threat to Nigeria’s democratic system.
 
 
The party insisted that the judiciary must remain impartial and uphold its constitutional role as “the last hope of the common man.”