The Supreme Court, Nigeria’s apex court has reserved judgement in the leadership tussles involving the country’s two leading opposition political parties; the African Democratic Congress, ADC and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP.
In the first matter involving the ADC, the Supreme Court reserved judgment in a key appeal involving the African Democratic Congress (ADC), following the conclusion of hearings today.
In the matter, the apex court heard arguments in the leadership dispute between the faction led by David Mark and that of Nafiu Bala Gombe, with the appeal challenging earlier rulings on the party’s leadership structure.
The case was taken after the regularisation of processes, with counsel presenting arguments before a five-member panel, headed by Justice Mohammed Garba, after which the panel announced on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, that the date of judgment would be communicated to lawyers who represented both parties.
Justice Garba made the announcement after lawyers for both parties adopted their various briefs and prayed the court to grant their reliefs.
Mark’s appeal, marked: SC/CV/180/2026, is against the March 12 judgment of the Court of Appeal, which dismissed his appeal against the September 4, 2025 ruling by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which refused to grant some injunctive reliefs contained in an ex-parte application filed by the factional National Chairman of the party, Nafiu Bala Gombe.
And in a related development, the Supreme Court has reserved judgment in two appeals filed by the Makinde-backed Turaki faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) challenging decisions that voided the party’s national convention held in Ibadan, Oyo State, in November last year.
A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Justice Mohammed Garba, announced on Wednesday that the date for judgment will be communicated to lawyers representing both parties after hearing final submissions.
The first appeal, SC/CV/164/2026, was filed by the PDP against a Court of Appeal ruling which upheld a Federal High Court judgment restraining the party from proceeding with the convention without including former Jigawa State Governor Sule Lamido.
The second appeal, SC/CV/166/2026, was filed by the PDP, its National Working Committee (NWC), and National Executive Committee (NEC), challenging another Court of Appeal decision that affirmed an earlier order stopping the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from monitoring the Ibadan convention until required conditions were met.
Justice Garba stated that judgment will be delivered after the court considers the arguments presented by both sides.
The case is one of several legal battles shaping the leadership structure and internal disputes within the opposition party.