NBA Warns Lawyers: No Suing Over Party Fights
The Nigerian Bar Association has issued a stern warning that it will pursue disciplinary measures against legal practitioners who institute court actions aimed at entangling the judiciary in the internal disputes of political parties.
The warning, contained in a statement released amid ongoing factional tensions within the African Democratic Congress, reflects growing concern over what the professional body described as a troubling pattern of litigation that violates clear statutory provisions.
“The Nigerian Bar Association has closely monitored recent political and legal developments as the nation gradually approaches the 2027 General Elections,” the statement read. “These developments, particularly those arising from the interpretation and potential application of provisions of the Electoral Act 2026, raise serious constitutional, democratic, and rule-of-law concerns that require immediate intervention.”
The association invoked Section 83 of the Electoral Act 2026, which states unambiguously that “No court in Nigeria shall entertain jurisdiction over any suit or matter pertaining to the internal affairs of a political party.” The NBA further emphasised that courts are also barred from issuing interim or interlocutory injunctions in such matters, even when actions are filed in violation of the law.
“What we now see are situations where actions are not only instituted in Courts by lawyers in clear violation of the Act, but Courts purportedly grant interim and/or interlocutory injunctions in clear contempt of statutory provisions of the law,” the statement said. “This does not augur well for our democracy.”
The association warned that such practices threaten democratic processes, describing them as “disingenuous litigation, forum shopping, and malafide applications designed to secure undemocratic political advantage.”
“Members of the Bar are reminded that they are Ministers in the Temple of Justice and not political agents seeking judicial endorsement of partisan objectives,” the NBA stated.
The association made clear its intention to act decisively against erring lawyers. “The filing of actions intended to draw courts into internal political party disputes, particularly where jurisdiction is expressly excluded, constitutes an abuse of court process and a violation of professional responsibility,” it said.
“The NBA will take firm steps to deter such conduct. Lawyers who deliberately file actions aimed at procuring judicial interference in intra-party affairs risk facing disciplinary proceedings. We will not hesitate to present petitions before the Legal Practitioners Disciplinary Committee against any Legal Practitioner found to be engaging in such conduct.”
The statement concluded with a call for judicial vigilance, urging courts to “resist being drawn into political theatrics.”