The Supreme Court of Nigeria has scheduled Thursday to deliver four pivotal judgments concerning the leadership crises within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Party (ADC). These decisions are expected to fundamentally shape the trajectory of the country’s leading opposition parties ahead of the 2027 general elections.

A five-member panel, presided over by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, had previously reserved judgment on April 22 after legal teams for all parties adopted their final briefs of argument.

The PDP Crisis: Battle for the Ibadan Convention

The legal battle involving the PDP centers on the validity of the National Convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, on November 15 and 16, 2025. Two primary appeals seek to overturn lower court rulings that nullified the exercise.

1. The Contempt Challenge (SC/CV/164/2026)

Led by Tanimu Turaki, SAN, a factional national executive is asking the apex court to set aside judgments from the Federal High Court and the Court of Appeal. These courts previously ruled that the Ibadan convention was conducted in defiance of a restraining order issued by Justice Peter Lifu on November 14, 2025.

Justice Lifu had halted the convention following a suit by foundation member and former Jigawa State Governor, Sule Lamido, who alleged he was arbitrarily denied a nomination form to contest for the National Chairmanship. The Court of Appeal subsequently berated the Turaki-led group for "self-help" and "contemptuous conduct," noting they should have sought a stay of execution rather than proceeding with the event.

2. The Statutory Compliance Dispute

A second appeal filed by the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC), and National Executive Committee (NEC) seeks to void orders barring the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognizing the convention.

The Court of Appeal had previously upheld a verdict by Justice James Omotosho, which found the convention legally flawed due to:

• Failure to conduct valid state congresses in 14 states, leaving those chapters without voting delegates.

• Procedural irregularities, including convention notices signed solely by the National Chairman, excluding the National Secretary.

This suit was initiated by aggrieved chairmen from the Imo and Abia chapters, alongside the South-South Zonal Secretary, who are aligned with a rival faction.

The ADC Crisis: Jurisdiction and Internal Affairs

The apex court will also rule on appeal SC/CV/180/2026, filed by Senator David Mark, representing a faction of the African Democratic Party (ADC).

Key Arguments:

• Non-Justiciability: Mark’s legal team, led by Jubril Okutepa, SAN, argues that the leadership dispute is a "domestic affair" of the political party, a category of dispute the Supreme Court has traditionally held is outside the jurisdiction of the courts.

• Status Quo Order: The appellant is seeking to quash a Court of Appeal ruling that ordered a return to the status quo ante bellum. That ruling led INEC to remove David Mark and National Secretary Rauf Aregbesola from its official portal on April 1.

While the ADC faction led by Nafiu-Bala Gombe seeks the removal of the Mark-led leadership, other respondents—including the party itself and its former chairman, Chief Ralph Nwosu—have urged the Supreme Court to allow the appeal and restore the current leadership structure.

High Stakes for 2027

The impending verdicts carry significant weight for Nigeria's political landscape. For the PDP, the ruling will determine which faction holds the legal "seal" of the party and whether the 2025 convention outcomes remain valid. For the ADC, the court must decide the extent to which the judiciary can intervene in internal party administrative disputes.

In anticipation of these rulings, Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court has already adjourned related proceedings indefinitely, citing the need to avoid "judicial rascality" by deferring to the authority of the Supreme Court.