Civil Society Organization, Tap Initiative for Citizens’ Development, has formally petitioned the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN), Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, demanding an immediate investigation and disciplinary action against Honourable Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja Division. The petition, dated June 16, 2026, alleges serious judicial misconduct, disregard for appellate authority, and actions that could weaken democratic participation in Nigeria.
The controversy stems from a recent judgment delivered by Justice Lifu, which ordered the deregistration of several political parties, including the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Accord Party, Action Peoples Party (APP), Action Alliance (AA), and Zenith Labour Party (ZLP). Tap Initiative contends that the ruling was made in blatant defiance of superior judicial orders.
Alleged Violation of Judicial Hierarchy and Stay of Proceedings
According to the petition, at the time Justice Lifu delivered his judgment, a pending appeal regarding the same subject matter was already active before the Court of Appeal under Appeal No. CA/ABJ/CV/569/2026. Furthermore, the higher court had reportedly issued an Enrolment Order explicitly granting a stay of proceedings in the exact suit (Suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2025) that Justice Lifu went ahead to decide on.
The Executive Director of Tap Initiative, Mbasekei Martin Obono, Esq., stated that proceeding with the judgment despite a valid order of stay directly threatens the constitutional structure of the Nigerian legal system.
“This development raises profound constitutional and procedural concerns, as it appears that a valid order of stay and active appellate proceedings were in force at the material time. If established, this situation would constitute a serious affront to the doctrine of judicial hierarchy and the supervisory jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal within Nigeria’s constitutional order.”
Breaches of the Judicial Code of Conduct
The advocacy group argued that the trial judge’s actions prima facie breach several provisions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s Code of Conduct for Judicial Officers. Specifically, the petition points to violations of Rule 1.1 and Rule 1.2, which demand high standards of personal and professional conduct to uphold judicial integrity, as well as Rule 3.1 and Rule 3.3, which mandate fairness, diligence, and behaviors that foster public confidence in the judiciary’s competence and impartiality.
Tap Initiative warned that any judicial deviation from established legal hierarchies risks creating conflicting outcomes, destroying legal certainty, and completely eroding public trust in the courts.
Threats to Democracy and Upcoming Elections
Beyond the immediate legal implications, the organization raised an alarm over how the deregistration of these political parties could destabilize the democratic space and spark political tension ahead of the 2026 off-cycle governorship elections and the 2027 general elections. By removing these lawful entities, millions of Nigerian voters who rely on them for political expression and representation could face systematic disenfranchisement.
The group stressed that a thriving democracy depends entirely on plurality and fair institutional restraint, noting that the judiciary must remain the “last hope of the common citizen.”
Demands Placed Before the National Judicial Council
In its prayers to the National Judicial Council (NJC), which is chaired by the CJN, Tap Initiative requested a thorough investigation to determine whether the judgment deliberately ignored pending appeals or constituted judicial overreach. They urged the council to impose strict disciplinary measures if the allegations of misconduct are proven true, reinforcing the premise that judicial independence must always coexist with accountability.
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