A faction of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kebbi State has called on national and international bodies to intervene in the trial of the party’s state chairman, Sufiyanu Bala. The appeal was made by ADC Secretary Abubakar Bawa Kalgo at a press conference in Birnin Kebbi on Thursday.
Kalgo said Bala is being tried at Chief Magistrate Court 1 and the High Court in Birnin Kebbi on charges that include contempt of court and incitement of the public. He asserted that the trial is plagued by procedural irregularities and that the magistrate court has overstepped its jurisdiction.
According to Kalgo, the ADC faction aligned with former party National Chairman Abubakar Chika Malami held its state congresses in April, during which Bala was elected state chairman. He claimed that eight days after his election, Bala was arrested by the Nigeria Police Force on a warrant issued by the magistrate court. Repeated attempts to arraign him between 20 April and 24 April, Kalgo said, were marred by both procedural and substantive flaws.
Kalgo noted that a separate case involving the same allegations is pending before the High Court, yet the magistrate court proceeded with its own arraignment. He cited an interim police investigation report that acknowledged the High Court matter and recommended that prosecution continue there, but the magistrate court nonetheless moved forward.
Bala’s counsel, A. A. Fingilla, sought the recusal of the presiding magistrate on grounds of bias. The request was denied, leading the lawyer to withdraw from the case.
The ADC secretary framed the incident as part of a broader pattern of alleged persecution against party members, naming former ADC office‑bearers Umar Abubakar, Hussaina Ahmed Jega, Nasiru Garba Hashim and Umar Yakubu Kamba as other examples.
Kalgo said the party will lodge formal petitions with the National Judicial Council, the Kebbi State Judicial Service Commission, the International Human Rights Commission, Amnesty International and the United States Department of Justice. He urged the Kebbi State government and the judiciary to uphold the rule of law and ensure a fair process, warning against the misuse of democratic institutions by partisan actors.
The developments raise questions about judicial independence and the treatment of political figures in Nigeria, and they are likely to attract attention from both domestic and international human‑rights watchdogs. Further action by the named bodies will determine the next steps in addressing the ADC’s complaints.
