Former Kogi West Senator and chieftain of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), Dino Melaye, has criticised elder statesman Buba Galadima for linking him to comments concerning the reported illness of Justice Peter Lifu of the Federal High Court, categorically denying ever making any statement about the judge’s health.
Melaye expressed shock that Galadima mentioned his name while discussing the judge’s reported illness and its possible implications for the ADC’s planned appeal against the November 5, 2026 judgment concerning the party’s leadership dispute.
In a statement posted on his X account on Saturday, November 14, 2026, Melaye maintained that he had never commented on Justice Lifu’s health and questioned why Galadima attributed such remarks to him.
“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,” Melaye stated.
The former senator also took a swipe at Galadima, suggesting that his age might be affecting his memory.
“Old age must be catching up with Buba Galadima. Now I know you can’t cure old age, you can only manage it,” he added.
Melaye’s reaction followed comments made by Galadima, a chieftain of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), during an interview on African Independent Television (AIT) on Wednesday, November 11, 2026.
During the interview, Galadima criticised some members of the ADC over reports that they were celebrating the alleged illness of Justice Lifu following his judgment against the party’s leadership.
Galadima referred to Melaye while discussing the controversy, suggesting that some ADC members did not understand the possible legal consequences of the judge becoming unavailable while the party was seeking to challenge his decision.
“You know there was a judgement against ADC, isn’t it? Yes. And I’ve just heard you read something that Dino Melaye said. They’ve got a true certified copy of the judgement, and I know some ADC people are jumping up and down that the judge (Peter Lifu) who gave a ruling against them has fallen ill and is supposed to be taken to hospital in Europe,” Galadima said.
The NDC chieftain questioned why members of the opposition party would welcome reports of the judge’s illness when, according to his argument, the development could create difficulties for the party’s appeal.
He suggested that if Justice Lifu travelled abroad for medical treatment, the preparation and signing of records of proceedings required for the appeal could be delayed.
Galadima maintained that the judge’s absence could therefore work against the interests of those seeking to overturn his judgment.
“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 judgement cannot be signed by any judge,” he stated.
His comments suggested that some ADC members might be overlooking the procedural implications of the judge’s possible absence while focusing on reports concerning his health.
However, Melaye rejected the suggestion that he had made comments about Justice Lifu’s illness, insisting that Galadima had wrongly associated him with the matter.
The exchange comes amid controversy surrounding the Federal High Court judgment delivered by Justice Lifu on November 5, 2026, in a suit involving the leadership of the African Democratic Congress.
In the judgment, the court set aside resolutions reached at the party’s 99th National Executive Committee meeting held on July 29, 2025, through which former Senate President David Mark and former Minister of Interior Rauf Aregbesola emerged as national officers.
The Federal High Court also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising or dealing with the affected individuals as national officers of the ADC.
The decision triggered controversy within the party, which has indicated its intention to challenge the judgment.
It was against this background that Galadima questioned the reported reactions of some ADC members to the alleged illness of the judge who delivered the ruling.
While Galadima argued that Justice Lifu’s possible absence could complicate the party’s appeal process, Melaye maintained that he had made no comment whatsoever about the judge’s health.
.. “You Can’t Cure Old Age, You Can Only Manage It” — Dino Melaye Slams Galadima For Linking Him To Comments On Justice Lifu’s Health … NewsNGR.
