Nkemakolam Ukandu, a chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the party's National Welfare Secretary, has filed a new motion before the Federal High Court in Abuja. This motion specifically requests that Justice Peter Lifu recuse himself from further hearing in the ongoing suit challenging the National leadership of the ADC, led by Senator David Mark. The request, detailed in a Motion on Notice filed on June 5, seeks an order for Justice Lifu to step aside from Suit No: FHC/ABJ/CS/1819/2025 – HON. NAFIU BALA GOMBE V. AFRICAN DEMOCRATIC CONGRESS & 4 ORS – pending the hearing and determination of Ukandu's petition to the National Judicial Council (NJC) against both Justice Lifu and the Chief Judge of the court, Justice John Tsoho.

Alternatively, Ukandu has prayed for an order transferring the case file back to the Chief Judge, awaiting the resolution of his petition to the NJC and a separate suit he filed, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/1165/2026: NKEMAKOLAM UKANDU VS. NATIONAL JUDICIAL COUNCIL & 2 ORS. He also seeks a stay of further proceedings in the primary suit until his petition against the defendants is heard and determined by the NJC. This development emerges barely 24 hours after Ukandu initiated a suit against the NJC, Chief Judge John Tsoho, and Justice Peter Lifu, alleging corruption, disobedience to Supreme Court orders, and manifest bias.

Adding to the pressure, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, the National Secretary of the ADC, had also filed a similar motion just 72 hours prior, asking Justice Lifu to recuse himself from the party's leadership suit. Aregbesola's motion, filed on June 1, cited a