Nigeria’s Supreme Court is expected to rule Thursday on leadership disputes in the African Democratic Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, decisions that could reshape opposition politics ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The judgments, scheduled for 2 p.m. local time, come amid heightened political tension and competing claims to party control, particularly within the African Democratic Congress.
Ahead of the ruling, party leaders held an emergency strategy meeting Wednesday night to review possible outcomes and coordinate responses, according to political commentators on social media.
The disputes have drawn in senior political figures, including former Senate President David Mark, who leads one faction of the ADC, and rival groups contesting control of party structures. The Independent National Electoral Commission has also been drawn into the legal fight over recognition of party congresses.
A separate Federal High Court ruling on Wednesday restrained the electoral commission from recognizing congresses conducted by a disputed ADC leadership, further deepening the internal crisis.
ADC National Chairman David Mark said the party remained confident of victory in court and insisted it would be on the ballot in 2027 regardless of ongoing litigation.
“You do not have anything to be afraid of regarding all the litigations before the party,” Mark said in a statement posted on X. “We shall triumph in all the cases, and we shall be on the ballot for every election.”
The ADC leadership has also moved to appeal the lower court ruling and seek a stay of execution.
The crisis has split party ranks, with 2023 presidential candidate Dumebi Kachikwu backing the court’s intervention and accusing rival factions of attempting to take over the party.
The legal battle centers on competing claims over the legitimacy of party congresses and leadership structures, with one faction led by Mark and another aligned with former national officials including Rauf Aregbesola and others.
In a separate development, lawyers for the ADC urged the Chief Justice of Nigeria to expedite judgment, warning that delays could jeopardize the party’s ability to meet electoral deadlines set by the Independent National Electoral Commission.
INEC has fixed May 10, 2026, as the deadline for party membership registers, while presidential and parliamentary elections are scheduled for January 16, 2027.
Governorship and state assembly elections are slated for February 6, 2027.
Political analysts say the Supreme Court rulings could determine whether the ADC and PDP remain viable opposition platforms or face deeper fragmentation ahead of the polls.
The disputes come as opposition groups attempt to build a coalition to challenge President Bola Tinubu in 2027, but internal divisions over leadership and structure continue to slow progress.
At the center of the ADC dispute is a prolonged struggle over control of party organs, with rival factions accusing each other of unconstitutional actions in organizing congresses and appointing committees.
A Federal High Court recently ruled that only elected party structures have authority to conduct congresses, a decision that has intensified the legal and political standoff.
As the Supreme Court prepares to rule, both supporters and critics of the competing factions say the outcome will have major implications for party stability and Nigeria’s broader opposition landscape.
