Nigeria’s long‑running battles over party leadership are heading for a decisive climax as the Supreme Court prepares to hear three high‑stakes appeals on Tuesday that will determine the future direction of two major opposition parties—the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC). The cases, which arise from months of internal litigation and dueling court orders, have significant implications for party cohesion, candidate selection, and preparations ahead of future electoral cycles.
The court has scheduled hearings in three appeals: two filed by the faction of the PDP aligned with former minister Kabiru Turaki, and one filed by former Senate President David Mark, who leads a rival faction within the ADC. All three appeals challenge recent decisions of the Court of Appeal in Abuja, which upheld earlier rulings of the Federal High Court.
The PDP appeals – SC/CV/166/2026 and SC/CV/164/2026 – seek to overturn appellate decisions delivered on March 9 that affirmed injunctions restraining the party from holding its planned national convention of November 15 -16, 2025. Those injunctions were originally issued by Justices James Omotosho and Peter Lifu in response to suits filed by aggrieved party officials. The ADC appeal -SC/CV/180/2026 – was filed by Mark after the Court of Appeal dismissed his challenge to a lower‑court ruling in a leadership dispute that has split the party’s national executive.
The PDP’s internal crisis deepened last year when multiple party officials approached the courts to challenge preparations for the November 2025 national convention. In the first case, Justice Omotosho ruled on October 31, 2025 that the party must halt its convention plans until it complied with statutory requirements under the Electoral Act and its own internal regulations. The suit was brought by three senior PDP figures: Austin Nwachukwu, Amah Abraham Nnanna, and Turnah Alabh George.
A second ruling followed on November 14, 2025, when Justice Lifu ordered the party to allow former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido to contest for national chairman. Lamido had argued that he was unlawfully excluded from the race. The Court of Appeal upheld both rulings, prompting the Turaki faction to seek relief from the Supreme Court. The outcome will determine whether the PDP can proceed with a long‑delayed convention and may shape the balance of power within the party’s national leadership.
The ADC’s dispute centers on competing claims to the national chairmanship. Mark’s appeal challenges a March 12 ruling of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed his attempt to overturn a September 4, 2025 decision by Justice Emeka Nwite. That earlier ruling had refused to grant injunctive reliefs sought in an ex parte application filed by Nafiu Bala Gombe, another senior figure in the party. A three‑member appellate panel led by Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam held that Mark’s appeal was incompetent because it raised issues not contained in the original trial‑court ruling. Mark is now asking the Supreme Court to set aside that decision and recognize his faction’s authority.
The Supreme Court’s intervention comes at a time when both parties are struggling with internal fragmentation, competing leadership claims, and legal uncertainty. The PDP, once Nigeria’s dominant political force, has faced repeated court battles over its internal processes. The ADC, though smaller, has been hampered by leadership disputes that have stalled its organizational activities. Tuesday’s hearings are expected to draw intense attention from party stakeholders, legal analysts, and political observers. The court’s decisions—whether delivered immediately or reserved—will shape the internal architecture of both parties and influence their ability to function as coherent political organizations.