Banner Online News

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved judgment in the deepening leadership crises rocking two of Nigeria’s major opposition parties—the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), signalling a decisive moment that could reshape the internal power structures of both parties.

A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Lawal Garba, announced that a date for judgment would be communicated to all parties after lawyers adopted their final written arguments in the respective appeals.

PDP: Battle Over Controversial Convention

In the PDP case, the court is set to determine the validity of the party’s disputed national convention held in Ibadan in November 2025.

The appeal was filed by a faction led by Kabiru Tanimu Turaki, seeking to overturn a ruling of the Court of Appeal which nullified the convention. The lower courts had held that the exercise violated statutory provisions, including the Electoral Act and party guidelines, and barred the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising its outcome.

The Federal High Court in Abuja, in earlier rulings delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu, had restrained the party from conducting the convention. The court found that the PDP failed to conduct valid state congresses as required and also ruled in favour of former Jigawa State governor Sule Lamido, who challenged his exclusion from the chairmanship race.

Turaki’s faction, however, argued before the apex court that the dispute falls within the party’s internal affairs and is therefore not subject to judicial interference.

ADC: Power Struggle Deepens

In a parallel case, the Supreme Court also reserved judgment in the leadership tussle within the ADC, following an appeal filed by former Senate President David Mark.

Mark is challenging a March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which ordered the maintenance of the status quo ante bellum in a suit brought by aggrieved party members led by Nafiu-Bala Gombe.

The appellant contended that the appellate court exceeded its jurisdiction, insisting that the matter concerns internal party affairs beyond the reach of the courts. He is seeking orders to compel INEC to recognise him and his faction as the legitimate leadership of the party.

However, respondents in the suit, including the ADC leadership and other stakeholders, urged the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeal, maintaining that the lower court acted within the law.

INEC, which did not file any process in the appeal, had earlier removed Mark and the party’s National Secretary, Rauf Aregbesola, from its official portal following the Court of Appeal ruling. The electoral body also declared it would not recognise any faction pending final judicial determination.

Meanwhile, proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja in a related suit were halted indefinitely by Justice Emeka Nwite, who warned that continuing the matter while the appeal is pending before the Supreme Court would amount to “judicial rascality.”

Awaiting Final Word

With judgments now reserved in both cases, political observers say the Supreme Court’s eventual rulings will be pivotal in settling the internal crises and determining the legitimate leadership structures of the two parties ahead of future electoral contests.