Nigeria’s apex court, the Supreme Court of Nigeria, on Wednesday reserved judgment in two high-profile political cases involving leadership disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), deepening uncertainty over the internal stability of both parties ahead of future electoral contests.
The decisions followed the adoption of final written addresses by parties in both appeals, with separate five-member panels of the court indicating that dates for judgment would be communicated in due course.
In the PDP matter, a faction led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki is challenging earlier court rulings that nullified the party’s national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025.
The dispute stems from a March 9 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which upheld decisions of the Federal High Court invalidating the convention on grounds of non-compliance with the Electoral Act and party guidelines.
At the Supreme Court, counsel for the Turaki-led faction argued that the issue falls strictly within internal party affairs and is therefore not justiciable. They maintained that due process was followed in organising the convention.
However, lower courts had ruled otherwise. Judgments delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu faulted the PDP for failing to conduct valid state congresses and for excluding key aspirants, including former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido, from the chairmanship race.
The rulings also restrained the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising outcomes of the disputed convention and imposed restrictions affecting the party’s national secretariat.
The case, initiated by aggrieved party members from several states, has become a focal point in the PDP’s prolonged leadership crisis.
In a similar development, the apex court also reserved judgment in the leadership tussle within the ADC, involving a faction led by former Senate President David Mark.
Mark is contesting a March 12 ruling of the Court of Appeal, which directed parties in the dispute to maintain the status quo pending resolution of the case.
He argued before the Supreme Court that the appellate court overstepped its jurisdiction, insisting that the matter concerns internal party affairs beyond judicial intervention.
The suit was brought by aggrieved members led by Nafiu Bala Gombe, who questioned the legitimacy of the Mark-led leadership.
Other parties in the case include the ADC itself, its National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola, the electoral umpire INEC, and former national chairman Ralph Nwosu.
Mark is also seeking an order restraining INEC from recognizing any leadership outside his faction pending the final determination of the case.
Amid the ongoing litigation, INEC has taken a neutral stance by removing the names of rival leaders from its official portal and withholding recognition of any faction within the ADC until the dispute is resolved.
Analysts say the twin cases highlight a recurring legal question in Nigeria’s political system whether internal party disputes are justiciable or should remain within party mechanisms.
The eventual rulings are expected to have far-reaching implications, not only for the internal structures of the PDP and ADC but also for party alignments, defections, and preparations ahead of the next general election cycle.
With both parties grappling with factional divisions, the Supreme Court’s pending judgments are likely to shape the balance of power within Nigeria’s opposition landscape and influence broader political dynamics in the months ahead.
