The African Democratic Congress (ADC) has accused the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) of taking sides in the political battle against the opposition following its decision to initiate disciplinary proceedings against lawyer and politician, Kalu Kalu, over his comments concerning Justice Peter Lifu.
The party, in a statement issued on Saturday, November 14, 2026, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mallam Bolaji Abdullahi, cautioned the NBA against allowing itself to be drawn into what it described as a political campaign against opposition figures.
While acknowledging the importance of constructive engagement, restraint and respect for institutions, the ADC questioned what it called the NBA’s sudden indignation over Kalu’s remarks, particularly in view of previous judicial criticisms of Justice Lifu.
“Why is the NBA only now finding its voice because a politician, who also happens to be a lawyer, has said something that some people find uncomfortable? What has Kalu Kalu said about Justice Peter Lifu that the Court of Appeal has not already said?” Abdullahi queried.
The ADC recalled that in its June 2026 ruling, the Court of Appeal reportedly described Justice Lifu’s conduct as the “highest form of judicial impertinence” and invoked a Supreme Court precedent which characterised such conduct as judicial rascality and considered it sufficient to render a judge unfit for the Bench.
“Where was the NBA when the judiciary itself was expressing such grave concerns about the conduct of one of its own?” the party asked.
Reaffirming its respect for the NBA’s historic contributions to democracy and the rule of law, the ADC, however, warned that the association must avoid creating the impression that it was aligning with the ruling party against opposition interests.
The party alleged that the ruling political establishment had openly boasted of hijacking judicial institutions and the Nigerian Bar, insisting that the NBA must guard against being perceived as part of such an agenda.
According to Abdullahi, the real threat to the integrity of the judiciary lies not in Kalu’s comments but in alleged misconduct by judicial officers and lawyers.
“It is not Kalu’s words that smear the judiciary. What discredits the Bench and the Bar is the conduct of conscienceless judges like Lifu and equally conscienceless lawyers who are alleged to operate a network of client judges in the service of conscienceless politicians in power,” he said.
He maintained that such alleged practices undermine the rule of law, compromise judicial independence and erode public confidence in the administration of justice.
The ADC further accused the NBA of focusing on the alleged victimisation of Kalu rather than addressing what it described as more fundamental concerns about the integrity of the judiciary.
“This is what should concern the NBA, rather than victimising a brave lawyer like Kalu for expressing his political views,” Abdullahi stated.
The opposition party stressed that the NBA was not a political party and should not be seen as participating in a political coalition against the opposition, whose demands, it said, centred on justice, the protection of the rule of law and the preservation of democracy.
“The NBA cannot demand respect for the judiciary while appearing indifferent to conduct that brings the judiciary into disrepute. Respect for the courts must never become a requirement for silence in the face of injustice,” the statement added.
Although the ADC acknowledged that lawyers must exercise restraint and demonstrate professionalism in their public engagements, it insisted that such expectations must not be used to suppress legitimate criticism.
“We agree that lawyers must exercise restraint. But there is no respectful way to address evil, and the NBA cannot teach us one,” Abdullahi declared.
