April 13, (THEWILL) — Fireworks are expected to begin Tuesday at the Supreme Court of Nigeria as it hears decisive appeals stemming from leadership crises in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), with the high-stakes ADC battle taking centre stage ahead of parallel PDP disputes.
At the forefront of the cases is the appeal filed by former Senate President, David Mark, challenging developments in the protracted leadership tussle within the ADC.
The appeal, marked SC/CV/180/2026, seeks to overturn the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed Mark’s earlier challenge as incompetent.
The appellate court, in a decision delivered by a panel led by Uchechukwu Onyemenam, upheld a preliminary objection filed by counsel to Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former deputy national chairman of the party.
The dispute originated from a suit instituted by Bala before the Federal High Court, presided over by Emeka Nwite, in September 2025. Bala had sought to restrain the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising the leadership of the party under Mark, insisting that he remained the valid occupant of the office and should have assumed the role of acting national chairman in line with the party’s constitution following the exit of the party’s founder, Ralph Nwosu.
He also asked the court to halt all party activities, including congresses and conventions, pending the determination of the suit.
Although Justice Nwite directed parties to show cause at the initial stage, subsequent proceedings led to Mark approaching the Court of Appeal to challenge the competence of the suit.
However, the appellate court dismissed his appeal and ordered the parties to return to the trial court while maintaining the status quo.
Dissatisfied with that outcome, Mark approached the Supreme Court, seeking, among other reliefs, an order staying the execution of the appellate court judgment, restraining INEC from altering the party’s leadership structure, and halting further proceedings before the Federal High Court.
In a development that has heightened the stakes of the dispute, INEC, on April 1, announced that it would no longer recognise either faction of the ADC pending judicial resolution, effectively freezing the party’s national leadership structure.
Mark has also filed a preliminary objection challenging Bala’s locus standi, arguing that the suit concerns internal party affairs and is therefore not justiciable, while also alleging misrepresentation and suppression of material facts.
Also slated for hearing are two separate appeals arising from the leadership crisis within the PDP, filed by a faction led by Kabiru Turaki.
The appeals—SC/CV/166/2026 (PDP vs. Austine Nwachukwu) and SC/CV/164/2026 (PDP vs. Sule Lamido), challenge the March 9 decisions of the Court of Appeal, which upheld earlier rulings of the Federal High Court restraining the party from conducting its planned national convention scheduled for November 15 and 16, 2025.
The lower court decisions, delivered by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu, held that the PDP failed to comply with relevant statutory provisions, including the Electoral Act and the 2022 Regulations and Guidelines for Political Parties.
In one of the suits, Justice Omotosho upheld the claims of party officials, including Nwachukwu and other stakeholders, who challenged the legality of the convention process.
In a separate ruling, Justice Lifu ordered the PDP to suspend its convention plans until Lamido (who alleged he was unlawfully excluded from contesting the party’s national chairmanship), was allowed to participate in the race.
With all three appeals now before the apex court, Tuesday’s proceedings are expected to provide definitive judicial direction on the disputes, particularly within the ADC, where INEC’s suspension of recognition has deepened uncertainty over the party’s leadership.
The anticipated rulings are also expected to clarify the extent of judicial intervention in intra-party affairs and reinforce compliance with electoral laws governing political parties in Nigeria.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
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