A looming constitutional crisis is unfolding at Nigeria’s apex court as legal representatives of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have issued a desperate and urgent plea to the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun, warning that any delay in delivering judgment in a critical appeal could effectively erase the party from the 2027 general elections.
In a strongly worded letter dated April 28, 2026, senior advocate Shaibu Enejor Aruwa, SAN, writing on behalf of the ADC, called for immediate judicial intervention in the case involving David Mark versus Nafiu Bwala Gombe and four others, currently before the Supreme Court.
The appeal, which was heard on April 22 with judgment reserved, has now become a race against time. According to the ADC’s counsel, the party has been thrown into chaos following actions by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which allegedly de-recognized its leadership based on a lower court ruling.
This move, the lawyers argue, has left the ADC structurally paralysed without leadership, yet still legally recognized, placing it in a dangerous limbo at a time when electoral processes for 2027 have already begun.
“The ADC’s ability to meet statutory requirements is entirely dependent on the timely delivery of this judgment,” the letter warned, stressing that failure to act within days could result in the party’s outright exclusion from the elections.
The implications are profound. The ADC maintains that millions of its supporters across Nigeria risk being disenfranchised if the court does not act swiftly, effectively stripping them of their constitutional right to political participation and association.
The urgency is further compounded by INEC’s already released timetable for the 2027 elections, which sets strict deadlines for party activities. Without a recognized leadership structure, the ADC may be unable to comply, an outcome its lawyers describe as “grave and irreversible.”
While acknowledging the heavy burden on the Supreme Court, the legal team did not mince words: “Justice delayed, in this peculiar circumstance, would amount to justice denied.”
The case now places the spotlight squarely on the judiciary, with the fate of a national political party, and the democratic rights of its supporters hanging precariously on how quickly the Supreme Court moves.
As the clock ticks, the ADC’s warning is stark: delay could mean political extinction.
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