Nigeria’s Opposition Parties Face Exclusion from 2027 Elections
Nigeria’s major opposition parties, the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), are in jeopardy of being sidelined from the upcoming primaries and, consequently, the 2027 elections. This situation follows a Supreme Court ruling on Wednesday, which deferred its decision regarding an ongoing leadership dispute within both parties.
Supreme Court Deliberations
The five-member panel, presided over by Justice Mohammed Lawal Garba, stated that the date for the ruling will be communicated to all involved parties after their legal representatives present their briefs.
ADC’s Legal Challenges
The appeal concerning the ADC (case number SC/CV/180/2026) was initiated by David Mark, the party’s national chairman. Mark seeks to overturn a March 12 decision from the Court of Appeal that dismissed his previous appeal, citing issues of incompetence.
Seeking Judicial Intervention
In his appeal, Mark is requesting that the Supreme Court suspend the execution of the Court of Appeal’s judgment. The appellate court, under Justice Uchechukwu Onyemenam, affirmed a preliminary objection by Ngafiu Bala Gombe, the former national vice-chairman, arguing that Mark’s appeal did not address relevant matters from the original judgment.
Background of the Dispute
This leadership crisis traces back to a ruling delivered on September 4, 2025, by Justice Emeka Nwite of the Federal High Court in Abuja, which dismissed Mr. Bala’s application for injunctive relief. Since then, the ADC has struggled with a lack of national leadership after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) withdrew recognition from both factions led by Mark and Bala on April 1, 2026.
Concerns Over Election Preparedness
The INEC has indicated it will not engage with either side until a definitive court ruling is made, citing an existing Court of Appeal order that maintains the status quo prior to the civil unrest. This uncertainty raises alarms about the ADC’s readiness for the 2027 general elections.
PDP’s Leadership Challenges
Simultaneously, the PDP is grappling with its own leadership issues. An appeal led by executives under Kabiru Turaki challenges concurrent rulings from various High Courts and the Court of Appeal, which invalidated the party’s scheduled national convention set for November 15-16, 2025, in Ibadan. The legal decision favored a rival faction led by Nyesom Wike, the Federal Capital Territory Minister.
Political Implications of Pending Rulings
According to reports from Business Day, the Supreme Court’s forthcoming rulings on these matters are anticipated to significantly influence the stability of political parties and the overall opposition landscape leading up to the 2027 elections. Officials warn that if the Supreme Court does not address these disputes by the impending deadline, both parties may struggle to present candidates for the elections. INEC has mandated that all political parties complete their primaries between April 23 and May 30, 2026, in preparation for the forthcoming polls.
