A chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Buba Galadima, has launched a scathing attack on members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), accusing them of intellectual laziness over their reaction to a court judgment involving the party.
Galadima, who spoke during an interview on African Independent Television (AIT) on Wednesday, faulted ADC members for reportedly celebrating the illness of Justice Peter Lifu, who delivered a controversial ruling against the party.
He argued that rather than celebrating the judge’s reported health condition, the ADC should be concerned about the possible legal implications of his absence, particularly as it concerns its ability to pursue an appeal.
According to him, if Justice Lifu travels abroad for medical treatment, the process of obtaining the records of proceedings necessary for an appeal could be delayed, as another judge cannot simply sign the records on his behalf.
Galadima said the development could create difficulties for the opposition party in challenging the judgment until the presiding judge returns.
He said: “I just found out that maybe there aren’t intelligent people in the ADC. They didn’t know that if that is true, it is deliberate to deny them appeal, because if the judge goes to London or Europe or anywhere outside the country, the records of proceedings from his judgment cannot be signed by any judge.”
The NDC chieftain further criticised opposition politicians for what he described as a failure to properly examine the legal implications of developments affecting their political interests.
He maintained that ADC members should prioritise securing the necessary court records to challenge the judgment rather than celebrating reports about the judge’s illness.
Galadima also described Nigerian politicians as intellectually lazy, insisting that political actors must develop the habit of thinking critically and understanding the implications of legal and political developments.
His comments come amid continuing political tensions surrounding the ADC and the legal battle over the party’s affairs ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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