ADC chieftain urges judge to recuse self on ground of alleged bias

By Lateef Ibrahim, Abuja

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, Nkemakolam Ukandu, has prayed Hon. Justice Liman Suleiman to recuse himself on grounds of manifest bias on the part of the learned trial judge against him.

Ukandu, who is the National Welfare Secretary of the coalition party, in a motion on notice dated and filed on Thursday at the Federal High Court in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1637/2025, between Hon. Leke Joseph Abejide Vs. ADC, accused Hon. Justice Liman Suleiman of hearing and granting an application without service of hearing notice and the application for amendment on Ukandu’s Counsel, which robbed the Judge of the jurisdiction to hear and entertain the application.

Ukandu, in a-26 paragraph affidavit deposed to by himself, accused Hon. Justice Liman Suleiman of giving rulings in favour of Wike’s interest who is bent on destroying all opposition political parties in Nigeria.

He thereafter prayed Justice Suleiman to recuse himself from hearing the suit and for the court to grant an order returning the case file in respect of the suit to the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court for reassignment to another Court.

Hon. Leke Abejide, a member of the House of Representatives, had filed a suit challenging the manner in which Senator David Mark and others took over the leadership of the African Democratic Congress. Although Abejide had since been expelled from the party for his anti-party activities, including openly canvassing for President Tinubu’s second term, he has continued to challenge the leadership of the party in court, including Hon. Nkem Ukandu, who is now the National Welfare Secretary of the party.