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The Federal High Court in Abuja, on Thursday, granted an order directing the Wuse Ward Executive Committee of the African Democratic Party (ADC) to serve a senator, Ireti Kingibe, court documents by substituted means.
Justice Peter Lifu made the order after counsel to the plaintiffs, B. A. Nenuwa, moved a motion ex parte (in the absence of Mrs Kingibe’s lawyers) to the effect.
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Mr Nenuwa said the order became necessary following the inability to serve Mrs Kingibe, who currently represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) at the Senate, all the processes filed in the suit.
Justice Lifu granted the plaintiffs permission to serve the originating processes, motions, and all other processes in the suit on the lawmaker by substituted means, by delivering them to her legislative aides/secretary at her office at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja.
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“The service when effected, shall be deemed as good, proper and regular service on the defendant,” the judge ruled.
Shortly after the ruling, Marshall Abubakar announced his appearance for Kingibe,
Mr Abubakar told the court that he would be applying for the court documents in the suit, and the judge granted the lawyer’s request.
Justice Lifu said since Mr Abubakar was in court on Mr Kingibe’s behalf, he should liaise with the plaintiffs’ counsel so that he could receive the processes.
The judge fixed 2 April for the hearing.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that two executive members of ADC in Wuse Ward, Abuja, had sued the legislator, praying the court to restrain her from parading herself as a member of the party.
The Chairman of ADC, Wuse Ward, Okezuo Kanayo, and his Secretary, Isaiah Sameul, filed the suit through their lawyer, Maxwell Opara.
The originating motion is dated and filed on 13 March by Mr Opara.
They prayed the court to declare that by virtue of the Constitution of the ADC, the Wuse Ward Executive Committee had the power to discipline and suspend any member of the party within its jurisdiction.
They also sought a declaration of the court that the suspension of Mrs Kingibe by the Wuse Ward Executive Committee of the ADC was valid and subsisting.
READ ALSO: Electoral Act: Not all senators opposed electronic transmission of results – Ireti Kingibe
They prayed the court to declare that Mrs Kingibe cannot lawfully parade herself as a card-carrying member of the party during the subsistence of the said suspension.
They want the court to declare that the National Working Committee (NWC) of the ADC cannot and should not lawfully recognise the defendant as a member of the party at any level during the subsistence of her suspension, among other reliefs.
In the affidavit deposed to by the Wuse Ward Secretary, Mr Samuel, he averred that the senator is a member of ADC registered under Wuse Ward.
According to him, sometime in 2026, the Ward Executive Committee received complaints regarding acts allegedly committed by the defendant contrary to the constitution of the party.
He accused Mrs Kingibe of anti-party activities, which, he said, led to her suspension.
(NAN)
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