Members and supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) staged a protest in Abuja on Thursday, calling on Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court to step down from a case involving the party.
The protesters, who described themselves as registered members and stakeholders of the ADC, accused the judge of bias and said her continued involvement in the case could threaten Nigeria’s democracy.
Speaking during a press briefing, the group said it was worried about what it described as repeated rulings against opposition political parties, particularly the ADC.
The statement, signed by the National President of ADC Registered Members and Stakeholders, Anthony Olah, called on the Chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) to urgently intervene in the matter.
According to the group, Justice Abdulmalik should recuse herself from the case to protect the integrity of the judiciary and ensure fairness in the legal process.
“When democracy is threatened, it should be a concern for everyone,” the group said. “If the judiciary is seen as taking sides in political matters, public trust in the justice system will be damaged.”
Call for Judicial Intervention
The protesters urged the CJN and the leadership of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) to step in and ensure that the case involving the ADC is handled by a different judge.
They also appealed to the international community and other defenders of democracy to pay attention to the situation.
According to the group, the ADC case is scheduled to come up before Justice Abdulmalik at the Federal High Court on March 6, 2026.
Plans to Occupy Federal High Court
The protesters announced plans to gather at the Federal High Court during the court sitting to press their demand that the judge withdraw from the case.
They insisted that the demonstration would be peaceful and called on security agencies to ensure order and safety.
“We will come out peacefully to defend democracy,” the group said, urging Nigerians to join their call for fairness in the judicial process.
During the protest, participants chanted slogans such as “Save our democracy” and “Opposition must survive,” while calling on the judiciary to protect democratic values in the country.
Party officials who spoke to journalists claimed that the ADC’s legal team had already expressed lack of confidence in the judge and requested that she step aside from the case.
They argued that in similar situations in the past, judges like Binta, had withdrawn from cases to maintain public trust in the courts.
The protesters maintained that their demand was aimed at protecting Nigeria’s democracy and ensuring that the judiciary remains independent and impartial.
