Former Kogi West Senator Dino Melaye has denied commenting on the health of Federal High Court judge Justice Peter Lifu, after elder statesman Buba Galadima referred to him while discussing the judge’s reported illness.
In a post on X on Saturday, Melaye said he was surprised that Galadima had attributed comments about Lifu’s health to him. He said he had made no such remarks and suggested that age had affected Galadima’s memory.
“I was extremely shocked to hear that Alhaji Buba Galadima mentioned that I made comments on Justice Lifu’s health. It is most unfortunate because I never made any comment on Justice Lifu’s health.
“Old age must be catching up with Buba Galadima. Now I know you can’t cure old age; you can only manage it,” he wrote.
Galadima, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, had criticised members of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) over their reported reaction to Lifu’s illness, accusing them of failing to think through the implications.
Speaking in an interview with African Independent Television on Wednesday, Galadima referred to reports that the ADC had obtained a certified true copy of a judgment delivered against the party.
“You know there was a judgment against ADC, isn’t it? Yes. And I’ve just heard you read something that Dino Melaye said,” he said.
Galadima added that some ADC members were reportedly celebrating the judge’s illness and the possibility that he might travel to Europe for treatment.
He argued that Lifu’s absence could delay the party’s appeal, claiming that the records of proceedings required for an appeal could not be signed by another judge while Lifu was away.
“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.
“So no appeal could be had until he’s back. They didn’t know that they are playing on their intelligence, and that’s why Nigerian politicians are lazy. They don’t think,” he said.
The controversy follows a ruling by Lifu in a suit concerning the ADC’s leadership dispute. The court set aside resolutions passed at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting on July 29, 2025, through which Senator David Mark and former Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola emerged as national officers.
The court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising or dealing with the affected individuals as the party’s national officers.
The ADC has said it intends to appeal the judgment.
