ADC Alleges Pressure On Judge to Recuse Himself From Nafiu Bala’s Case

The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused unnamed government agents of allegedly mounting pressure on Justice Nwite to recuse himself from an ongoing court case involving Nafiu Bala Gombe.

The party called on the federal government to stay away from judicial matters and halt all alleged attempts to interfere in the case through covert pressure on the judge.

In a statement issued on Wednesday by the ADC national publicity secretary, Malam Bolaji Abdullahi, the party alleged that desperate forces within the corridors of power were plotting to frustrate the judicial process by compelling Justice Nwite to withdraw from the matter so it could be reassigned to judges allegedly perceived as pliable and politically compliant.

According to the party, such a move would amount to a direct attack on the integrity and independence of the judiciary.

“The ADC has uncovered a disturbing plot by desperate forces within the corridors of power to frustrate the course of justice by mounting pressure on Justice Nwite to step aside from the case so that it can be reassigned to judges perceived to be pliable and politically compliant,” the statement said.

The party described the alleged move as a dangerous escalation in what it termed attempts to weaponise state institutions against opposition parties.

Abdullahi stated that information available to the ADC legal team indicated that although the Certified True Copy (CTC) of the Supreme Court judgment had not yet been released or formally communicated to the trial court, the matter was nevertheless fixed before Justice Nwite for hearing on May 8, 2026.

The ADC claimed that the development suggested a calculated attempt to force the judge to recuse himself, thereby paving the way for the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to transfer the matter to another judge allegedly considered more favourable to political interests.

The party maintained that such actions would contradict the directives earlier issued by both the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court, which reportedly ordered an accelerated hearing of the matter by the substantive trial judge.

“Any attempt to remove the case from Justice Nwite, whether by administrative manipulation, intimidation, blackmail, or coordinated pressure, amounts to a deliberate interference in the due administration of justice,” Abdullahi said.

The ADC further argued that judicial recusal should not be used as a political tool, stressing that such decisions must be guided strictly by legal principles and due process.

The party warned that the alleged search for “friendly courts” and “convenient judges” posed a serious threat to constitutional democracy and judicial independence in Nigeria.

It called on the National Judicial Council (NJC), the Chief Justice of Nigeria, and members of the judiciary to intervene and resist any attempt to compromise the judicial process.

The ADC also urged the international community and diplomatic missions in Nigeria to closely monitor developments surrounding the case.

“The independence of the judiciary remains the bedrock of every democratic society, and any attempt by state actors to intimidate judges, influence judicial assignments, or interfere in politically sensitive cases strikes at the very heart of constitutional governance,” the statement added.

The party recalled the collapse of democratic order in Nigeria’s First and Second Republics, as well as the annulment of the June 12 presidential election, blaming some judicial actors for contributing to those political crises.

It warned that Nigeria’s democracy remains too fragile to survive what it described as another season of judicial recklessness.

“The judiciary must remain the last hope of the common man, and not the last refuge of desperate politicians terrified of justice,” the statement said.