The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has alleged that certain agents of the Federal Government are attempting to manipulate the judiciary in the ongoing leadership dispute involving Nafiu Bala, warning that the integrity of the courts was under threat from political interference.
In a strongly worded statement issued by the party’s National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, the ADC said recent moves by Bala to seek the reassignment of the case to another judge had confirmed its fears of what it described as a “sinister plot” allegedly being orchestrated by a powerful federal minister.
According to the party, the request by Bala to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court to transfer the matter was evidence that political actors were seeking to influence judicial proceedings after allegedly realizing the weakness of their case.
The ADC accused Bala and his alleged backers of attempting to turn the judiciary into “a shopping mall where you pick and choose judges suitable for your political schemes.”
“You cannot file a case and then begin to dictate which judge should hear it simply because proceedings are not going your way. No litigant has the right to choose a judge in his own matter,” the statement said.
The party further alleged that attempts to seek an indefinite adjournment in the matter contradicted earlier directives by the Court of Appeal and the Supreme Court for speedy determination of the case.
It argued that rather than pursuing justice through a transparent legal process, Bala and his supporters were allegedly trying to delay proceedings until they found a judge willing to favour their interests.
The ADC described the development as part of a broader pattern of political interference that it said had contributed to growing public distrust in the judiciary.
“We regret to say that this is exactly the kind of political interference and behind-the-scenes manipulation that has brought the judiciary into disrepute,” the statement added.
The opposition party maintained that it remained committed to the rule of law but warned against what it termed “judicial intimidation and forum shopping.”
The ADC also called on judicial officers to resist political pressure and urged the courts to preserve their independence in the face of mounting political tensions surrounding the case.
“The courts must remain independent, and judicial officers must be allowed to do their work without political interference or orchestrated campaigns designed to influence proceedings,” Abdullahi stated.
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