Again, ADC chieftain drags NJC, Chief Judge, Abdulmalik to court over alleged corruption, bias 

A chieftain of the African Democratic Congress, ADC, Nkemakolam Ukandu, has dragged the National Judicial Council, NJC, the Chief Judge of the Federal High Court, Justice John Tsoho, and a judge of the Abuja division of the FHC, Joyce Abdulmalik, to court over allegations bordering on corruption and bias in respect of an ADC case at the Federal High Court, Abuja.

Ukandu, who is the National Welfare Secretary of the ADC, is specifically seeking, through the suit instituted in Abuja, an order directing the NJC, the 1st defendant, to investigate Justices Tsoho and Abdulmalik, who are the 2nd and 3rd defendants respectively, over alleged corruption and manifest bias in the hearing of a suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025 between Hon. Dumebi Kachikwu and four others, and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and five others.

The plaintiff, in the suit dated and filed March 3, is also seeking an order of injunction restraining Justice Abdulmalik from continuing to preside over the aforementioned suit, pending the hearing and determination of the plaintiff’s petition to the NJC.

In addition, Ukandu is seeking another order directing Abdulmalik to recuse herself from the suit “on grounds of manifest bias and grave likelihood of bias against the plaintiff.”

The suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/445/26, was filed on behalf of the plaintiff by an Abuja-based legal practitioner, Kalu Kalu Agu.

In a 52-paragraph statement of claim, the plaintiff stated that, following an application, he was joined as the 6th defendant in the suit marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025 on October 3, 2025.

While Dumebi Kachikwu, Adikwu Elias, Etimbuk Umoh, Muhammad Khala, and Alakum William are the 1st to 5th plaintiffs respectively in the suit, INEC, ADC, Chief Ralph Nwosu, Senator David Mark, and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola are the 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

Ukandu stated that the problem, however, started when the judge came down heavily on his counsel during the proceedings of October 23, 2025, for not filing a response to the originating summons served on him barely 24 hours earlier by plaintiffs’ counsel, and the court abridged the time for response from 30 days to seven, including Saturday and Sunday.

“The claimant, being dissatisfied with the ruling, petitioned the 2nd defendant against the said ruling and demanded a transfer of his case to another judge on grounds of manifest bias and grave likelihood of bias on the part of the court against the claimant.

“The claimant thereafter filed a Notice of Appeal, compiled and transmitted the Record of Appeal, and the appeal was entered at the Court of Appeal, Abuja Division.”

He lamented further that the Chief Judge, in a letter dated November 7, 2025, addressed to the claimant’s counsel, directed the court to proceed with the hearing of the matter despite a pending appeal at the Court of Appeal, a development which led the claimant to file an action against the 2nd defendant in suit No: FCT/HC/CV/4684/2025: Nkemakolam Ukandu vs. Justice James Tsoho and two others, “wherein the 2nd defendant was directed to maintain status quo in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025: Dumebi Kachikwu and four others vs. INEC and five others.”

Ukandu contended that despite the pendency of the matter and the order of the High Court of the FCT, which directed the 2nd defendant to maintain status quo in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025, the 2nd defendant, in disobedience to the said order, went ahead and reassigned the suit to the 3rd defendant.

The plaintiff further claimed that, despite taking judicial notice of the pending appeal, the suit at the FCT High Court, and the “order endorsed ex-facie the said writ of summons,” the 3rd defendant started presiding and heard the matter on January 30 without serving notice of the hearing on his lawyer, Mr. Kalu Agu.

According to the statement of claim, the bailiff of the court filed a purported certificate of service of the hearing notice of January 30, allegedly served on the plaintiff’s counsel in the 3rd defendant’s file, and the 3rd defendant subsequently acted on the certificate to hear the matter on January 30, 2026.

Among the reliefs he is seeking is a declaration that it is the responsibility of the NJC “to investigate complaints against judicial officers and mete out sanctions accordingly.”

He is also praying for an order directing the NJC to investigate the allegation of corruption and manifest bias against the 2nd and 3rd defendants with regards to their involvement in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025. Additionally, he is seeking another order restraining the 3rd defendant from continuing to preside over the case.

“An order of injunction restraining the 3rd defendant from continuing to preside over Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025 pending the hearing and determination of the petition to the 1st defendant by the plaintiff against the 2nd and 3rd defendants.

“An order of court directing the 1st defendant to recuse herself in Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1331/2025 on grounds of manifest bias/grave likelihood of bias on the part of the 1st and 2nd defendants against the claimant.”

Meanwhile, no date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

Again, ADC chieftain drags NJC, Chief Judge, Abdulmalik to court over alleged corruption, bias