Rufus Omeire, the Action Peoples Party, APP senatorial candidate for Imo West, Orlu in Imo State, has called on the National Judicial Council, NJC to immediately suspend Justice Lifu of the Federal High Court, Abuja over what he described as actions that undermine judicial hierarchy, the rule of law and can be detrimental to democracy.
In a statement on Tuesday, Omeire expressed concern that at a time when Nigerians are facing insecurity, economic hardship, and other pressing national challenges, judicial actions capable of creating uncertainty, tension, and anarchy should not be allowed to persist.

According to him, the Court of Appeal has consistently maintained that judges who fail to comply with the orders and decisions of superior courts are unfit to remain on the bench.

“As Nigerians continue to grapple with worsening insecurity, economic hardship, and other pressing national challenges, it is deeply troubling that Justice Lifu allegedly appears determined to create further uncertainty and tension through actions that undermine the rule of law and judicial hierarchy, which could lead to anarchy if unchecked,” he said.

Omeire argued that the National Judicial Council must act swiftly to protect the integrity of the judiciary.

“The Court of Appeal has consistently maintained that any judge who disobeys the order or decision of a superior court is unfit to remain on the bench. In light of this established judicial principle, the National Judicial Council must immediately suspend Justice Lifu and commence appropriate disciplinary proceedings,” he stated.

The APP chieftain reiterated that the judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and should be protected from conduct capable of eroding public confidence in the justice system.

“The judiciary remains the last hope of the common man and must be protected from actions capable of eroding public confidence in the administration of justice. If a Federal High Court judge cannot obey the orders and decisions of superior courts, what moral authority would such a judge have to expect compliance with his own orders?” he asked.

Omeire further warned that failure to act decisively could encourage what he described as judicial recklessness.

“Failure to act decisively will send the wrong signal and encourage judicial recklessness. The suspension of Justice Lifu will serve as a deterrent to other judges who may be tempted to disregard established judicial procedures and the supremacy of higher courts,” he said.

He added that Nigeria’s democratic system should not be endangered by the actions of any individual.

“Our democracy has been built through years of sacrifice and must not be endangered by the conduct of any selfish and greedy individual, regardless of position,” Omeire said.

The senatorial candidate also used the opportunity to reaffirm the commitment of the Action Peoples Party to addressing the challenges facing residents of Orlu Senatorial Zone, Imo State, and the country.

“As for our great party, the APP, the fastest-growing and most popular political party in Imo State today, we remain committed to constructive engagement and meaningful dialogue aimed at finding lasting solutions to the insecurity, economic hardship, and developmental challenges confronting our people,” he said.

“We will continue to promote policies and ideas that advance security, peace, unity, and prosperity in the Orlu Senatorial Zone, Imo State, and Nigeria at large,” Omeire, who represented Ideato North/Ideato South in 2007-2011 at the House of Representatives, added.

Recall that Justice Peter Lifu had issued a court judgment ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission to deregister the ADC, Action Peoples Party, APP; Action Alliance, AA; Accord Party, AP; and Zenith Labour Party, ZLP.

However, the ruling stirred controversy from opposition parties and Nigerians.

Meanwhile, the Court of Appeal in Abuja on Tuesday suspended the execution of the judgment by Justice Lifu.

Presidential candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP, Adewole Adebayo, had said that Nigeria’s presidency is not for elderly people.

Adebayo made the assertion in an interview programme on Symfoni TV, aired on Wednesday.

He likened Nigerian presidency to football, noting that no one could play football very well at the age of 80 years.

“I’m not being an ageist but Nigeria’s presidency is not a place for elderly people, because however much you are passionate and you love football, you cannot join Super Eagles at the age of 80 years.

“The President of Nigeria needs as much stamina as a coach or captain of the Super Eagles. So, I don’t think that former Vice President Atiku Abubakar’s only way to serve Nigeria is to be president.

“Late former President Muhammadu Buhari himself said, when he was elected in 2015, that he wished he had gotten the position when he was younger,” Adebayo said.

Proceedings in a suit challenging the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) primary election for the Jalingo/Yorro/Zing Federal Constituency were on Wednesday stalled at the Federal High Court in Jalingo, Taraba State, following the absence of counsel to the third defendant.

The suit was instituted by an APC female aspirant, Princess Leah Olusiyi Solomon, who is seeking the nullification of the party’s primary election in the constituency.

Solomon is challenging the outcome of the exercise on the grounds that the APC primary election was not conducted in any of the three local government areas that make up the constituency—Jalingo, Yorro and Zing.

When the matter came up for hearing, counsel representing the incumbent member of the House of Representatives for the constituency, who is listed as the third defendant in the case, was absent, making it impossible for the court to proceed with the hearing.

Consequently, the presiding judge adjourned the matter to July 1, 2026, for further proceedings.

Speaking with journalists shortly after the court session, counsel to the plaintiff, Barrister Pius Danba Pius, expressed surprise over the absence of the third defendant’s lawyer, stressing that all parties had been duly served with the relevant court processes.

“I cannot understand why the counsel to the third defendant was absent from court despite having been served with the court papers,” Pius said.

He expressed optimism that substantive hearing would commence on the next adjourned date.

Although no official reason was given for the absence of the third defendant’s counsel, Pius maintained that the case should proceed at the next sitting whether the lawyer is present or not.

Meanwhile, the court also adjourned a similar suit filed by Job Julius, an APC aspirant for the Ardo Kola/Karim-Lamido/Lau Federal Constituency, to July 15, 2026.

Julius is also seeking the nullification of the APC primary election in the constituency, alleging that the exercise was not conducted in line with the party’s guidelines and established electoral procedures.

The two cases have further highlighted the growing number of post-primary election disputes within political parties, as aggrieved aspirants continue to seek judicial intervention over the conduct of party nomination processes.

Both matters are expected to return before the Federal High Court in Jalingo on their respective adjourned dates for further hearing.