The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered Nkemakolam Ukandu, the National Welfare Secretary of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to pay N100 million in costs after striking out his lawsuit against the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, and Justice Peter Lifu.
Justice Salim Ibrahim made the order on Monday following an oral application by counsel to Justices Tsoho and Lifu, J.U.K. Igwe. The court awarded N50 million each to the two judges and directed that the sum be paid within 14 days.
Justice Ibrahim struck out the suit for lack of diligent prosecution after neither Ukandu nor his lawyer appeared in court since the matter was assigned to him.
Ukandu had sued the National Judicial Council (NJC), Justice Tsoho and Justice Lifu, alleging bias and disobedience of a court order.
In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1165/2026 he asked the court to compel the NJC to investigate allegations of corruption, abuse of judicial powers and bias against the two judges.
The court had earlier warned that the case could be dismissed after the plaintiff and his counsel failed to appear at the previous sitting on June 30.
The suit arose from the ongoing leadership dispute within the African Democratic Congress, involving an aggrieved party member, Nafiu-Bala Gombe, whose case is pending before Justice Lifu.
