The Supreme Court has reserved judgement in an appeal filed by the National Chairman of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), David Mark, and a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over leadership disputes that have paralysed both parties. A five-member panel of justices presided by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba reserved the matter after all parties argued their filed processes, with judgement to be delivered on a date to be communicated.
The ADC appeal, marked SC/CV/180/2026, was filed by Mark asking the court to stay the execution of a Court of Appeal ruling delivered on March 12 that dismissed his appeal in relation to the ongoing leadership dispute in the party. A three-member panel of the Court of Appeal had upheld an objection insisting that the appeal was incompetent and based on issues not reflected in the ruling of the trial court. The leadership crisis rocking ADC has left the party without a recognised national leadership. The dispute, which began as an internal transition disagreement in mid-2025, has now drawn in the courts and the Independent National Electoral Commission, raising concerns over the ADC’s capacity to function as a viable opposition platform ahead of the 2027 general elections.
INEC’s decision on April 1 to withdraw recognition from both the Mark- and Bala-led factions, citing a subsisting Court of Appeal order to maintain the status quo ante bellum, has left the party without an officially recognised leadership structure. The electoral body said it would not engage with any faction pending a final judicial determination, a position that could have far-reaching implications for the party’s participation in the 2027 polls.
The Mark-led faction insists it emerged through due process, citing a series of National Executive Committee decisions in 2025, including the July 29 ratification of a caretaker leadership. It argues that the NEC is empowered to administer the party, implement convention decisions and establish interim structures where necessary. It also contends that requirements such as the two-year membership rule were lawfully waived through NEC resolutions earlier in 2025 to accommodate coalition-building efforts.
On the PDP front, the appeal was brought by the Kabiru Turaki-led executive challenging the verdicts of two high courts and the Court of Appeal in Abuja nullifying its national convention in Ibadan on November 15 and 16, 2025, in favour of the faction loyal to FCT Minister Nyesom Wike. The unresolved leadership disputes in both parties create significant uncertainty for Nigeria’s political landscape. For the ADC, the inability to present a unified leadership could disqualify it from fielding candidates in 2027, while the PDP factional crisis continues to weaken the main opposition party ahead of what is expected to be a competitive election.
