The National Youth Wing of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC) has jointly with leaders of Civil Society Organisation in the party, written a formal petition against Justice Peter Lifu.

The petition dated June 18, 2026 was signed by the ADC’s National Youth Leader, Comrade Balarabe Rufai and addressed to the Executive Secretary, National Judicial Council (NJC).

The ADC requested Lifu’s removal “from any and all adjudicatory matters, reviews, or decision-making roles concerning the ADC.”

Reading the petition to the media in front of the ADC National Secretariat, Comrade Rufai, represented by Comrade Ibrahim Garba Wala, said they were prevented from submitting the petition to the NJC.

He said all the roads leading to the NJC were barricaded by heavily armed security agents on Thursday, hence the need to present the petition to the public.

The petition states: “We demand the immediate, total withdrawal of Hon. Justice Peter Odo Lifu from all adjudicatory matters, reviews or decision making capacity in the matter of the ADC. Moreover, considering his record of outrageous judicial rascality, we call on the National Judicial Council to specifically recommend his outright sacking from the Nigerian judiciary in order to save the diminishing credibility of the bench.

The compromised stewards of law are carrying out a coordinated assault on our democratic architecture. In suit No. FHC/ABJ/CS/2637/2026, Hon. Justice Peter Odo Lifu gave a highly controversial judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to de-register the ADC and four other political parties. “This judgement is not an honest legal error. It is a deliberate, politically motivated act to shrink the democratic space in Nigeria and artificially entrench a two-party monopoly.

The ADC Youth leader lamenting what he termed “legal distortions and judicial rascality tying Justice Lifu to this systemic compromise” said: “Justice Lifu brazenly proceeded with this judgment despite a binding Court of Appeal order that stayed proceedings on this matter, a move that subverts the sacred doctrine of stare decisis and constitutes gross misconduct.

“The plaintiffs, the Incorporated Trustees of the National Forum of Former Legislators, changed their legal personality midstream without a valid court order covertly. The bench looked away.

“Though the NJC has rejected some claims of the Chairman of the Boot Party, the fact that these same allegations have been repeated in several petitions, including that of the Chairman of the Boot Party, shows a systemic erosion of public confidence.

Compromised benches cannot be allowed to auction the political rights of millions of young Nigerians. The continued involvement of Justice Lifu in ADC affairs completely erodes public trust and makes a mockery of fair hearing. When the bench compromises its integrity, we declare that the youth will be the courtroom of public conscience as the guardians of our nation’s future. “The ballot box is ours, and we are not going to allow any court to take away our political expression.

They said the ADC Youth Wing, together with youth representatives from across the federation, will hold their ground in the protest “until the Council takes action to protect institutional integrity, enforces discipline, completely recuses this individual from our affairs and initiates the process for his immediate sack from the bench. Respectfully submitted on behalf of the Nigerian Youth during live protest.”