The Supreme Court of Nigeria will on Thursday, April 30, deliver judgments in two major political appeals involving leadership disputes within the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (APC).
According to information published on the court’s schedule, the ADC appeal, marked SC/CV/180/2026, is fixed for 2 p.m., while no specific time has been listed for the PDP matter.
The ADC case arises from an internal leadership conflict between former Senate President David Mark and a faction led by Nafiu Bala Gombe. Mark is contesting a March 12 decision of the Court of Appeal, which directed all parties to maintain the status quo.
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He argued that the appellate court exceeded its authority, insisting that the issue falls strictly within the internal affairs of the party.
However, respondents in the suit — including the party, its national secretary Rauf Aregbesola, the Independent National Electoral Commission, and former national chairman Ralph Nwosu — have asked the apex court to dismiss the appeal, maintaining that the lower court acted within its jurisdiction.
Both the ADC and PDP appeals were heard on April 22 by a five-member panel of the court led by Justice Mohammed Garba, after which judgment was reserved.
Meanwhile, legal representatives of the ADC had earlier written to the Chief Justice of Nigeria on April 28, requesting that the judgment be delivered within three days.
In the letter, S. E. Aruwa (SAN) & Co. warned that any delay could disrupt the party’s preparations for the 2027 general elections. They also raised concerns over actions by INEC, which they said relied on a lower court ruling to withdraw recognition of the party’s leadership, leaving it without a formally recognised structure.
The lawyers argued that the outcome of the appeal is crucial to the party’s ability to meet electoral requirements, warning that further delay could risk its exclusion from the polls and affect its supporters nationwide.
Further details are expected after the court delivers its decisions.
