The African Democratic Congress’s Wuse Ward Executive Committee was given permission by the Federal High Court in Abuja on Thursday to serve court documents on Senator Ireti Kingibe using alternative methods.
After B.A. Nenuwa, the plaintiffs’ attorney, filed an ex parte application requesting the court’s approval to serve the lawmaker through alternate channels, Justice Peter Lifu issued the order.
Nenuwa informed the court that the request was required after multiple attempts to physically serve Kingibe, the Senate representative for the Federal Capital Territory, failed.
at his decision, Justice Lifu authorized the plaintiffs to use the senator’s legislative assistants or secretary in her office at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja to serve the senator with all court procedures, including the original summons and motions.
The judge decided that “the service when effected shall be deemed as good, proper, and regular service on the defendant.”
Marshall Abubakar notified the court shortly after the decision that he would be representing Kingibe and that he intended to acquire the documents submitted in the lawsuit.
Abubakar was instructed by Justice Lifu to communicate with the plaintiffs’ attorneys in order to get the court procedures. The court then postponed the hearing until April 2.
Two executive members of the ADC in Wuse Ward, Abuja, Okezuo Kanayo, the ward chairman, and Isaiah Samuel, the secretary, filed the lawsuit.
The plaintiffs are requesting a court order prohibiting Kingibe from identifying herself as a party member through their attorney, Maxwell Opara.
The original motion, which was submitted on March 13, requests that the court rule that the Wuse Ward Executive Committee is authorized by the ADC constitution to suspend and discipline members who fall under its purview.
Additionally, they asked the court to uphold the validity and continuation of the senator’s suspension by the ward executive committee.
Kingibe was listed as an ADC member in Wuse Ward, according to Samuel’s affidavit supporting the lawsuit.
According to him, in 2026, the ward executive committee received complaints saying that the senator had violated the party’s constitution.
He claims that she was suspended for supposed anti-party behavior as a result of the complaints.
The plaintiffs further requested that the court rule that Kingibe cannot be legitimately recognized as a party member by the ADC National Working Committee as long as the suspension is in effect.
