By ifeoma Onyekachi

A Federal High Court sitting in Abuja has granted an application allowing court documents to be served on Ireti Kingibe through substituted means in an ongoing legal dispute involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC).

Justice Peter Lifu issued the order on Thursday following an ex-parte motion filed by counsel to the plaintiffs, B. A. Nenuwa. The application was brought after repeated efforts to personally serve the senator who represents the Federal Capital Territory (FCT)proved unsuccessful.

The court approved that all originating and subsequent processes be delivered to the senator’s legislative aides or secretary at her office within the National Assembly Complex in Abuja. Justice Lifu ruled that such service would be deemed “good, proper and regular.”

Shortly after the ruling, lawyer Marshall Abubakar announced his appearance for Kingibe and requested access to the court documents. The judge directed him to liaise with the plaintiffs’ counsel to obtain the necessary filings.

The matter was adjourned to April 2 for hearing.

The suit was instituted by two executives of the ADC in Wuse Ward Chairman Okezuo Kanayo and Secretary Isaiah Samuel through their counsel, Dr Maxwell Opara. Filed on March 13, the plaintiffs are seeking a court declaration affirming the ward executive’s authority under the party’s constitution to discipline members within its jurisdiction.

They are also asking the court to uphold the suspension of Senator Kingibe and to restrain her from presenting herself as a member of the party while the suspension remains in effect. Additionally, they want the court to rule that the party’s National Working Committee should not recognise her as a member during that period.

In a supporting affidavit, Samuel stated that Kingibe is registered under the Wuse Ward of the party. He alleged that complaints were received in 2026 concerning actions deemed contrary to the party’s constitution, including alleged anti-party activities, which led to her suspension.