Why ADC faces possible exclusion from 2027 polls as supreme court delays judgment

The Supreme Court on Thursday reserved judgment in a series of appeals and cross-appeals stemming from leadership disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC), after hearing arguments from all sides. No date was fixed for delivery of judgment, a development that has created fresh uncertainty, especially for the ADC ahead of critical electoral deadlines.

The situation is more precarious for the ADC, where competing factions led by Senator David Mark, Nafiu Bala Gombe and Ogga Temitope continue to contest control of the party’s structure without recognition from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The absence of a clear leadership recognized by the electoral body places the party in a vulnerable position as preparations intensify for the 2027 general elections.

INEC has set May 10 as the deadline for all registered political parties to submit updated membership registers. Failure to comply could automatically disqualify any party from sponsoring candidates in the next general elections. With the Supreme Court yet to deliver judgment, the ADC is now confronted with the possibility that it may not have a legally recognized leadership before the deadline expires.

The appeal before the Supreme Court, filed by Senator David Mark, challenges a Court of Appeal judgment delivered on March 12 which upheld earlier proceedings that altered the party’s leadership status. Mark is asking the apex court to set aside the appellate court’s decision, arguing that the matter is strictly an internal party affair beyond the jurisdiction of the courts.

He is also seeking orders restraining INEC from recognizing any leadership other than his faction, as well as a halt to ongoing proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja involving parallel claims to the party’s control.

INEC, while not filing arguments either in support or opposition at the Supreme Court, has already removed Mark and Rauf Aregbesola from its official list of ADC national officers, citing the Court of Appeal judgment. The commission has maintained that it will not recognize any faction until the legal disputes are conclusively resolved.

Other respondents in the matter, including Nafiu Bala Gombe and the ADC as a party, are urging the Supreme Court to dismiss the appeal, insisting that the lower courts acted within jurisdiction and that the matter should proceed without interruption.

The internal dispute has also affected proceedings at the Federal High Court in Abuja. Justice Emeka Nwite adjourned the substantive case indefinitely, stating that continuing the matter while the Supreme Court is seized of related issues could result in conflicting decisions.

Despite the ongoing legal uncertainty, the Mark-led faction has continued to assert its authority within the party and maintains that it remains the legitimate leadership structure. Its legal team argues that the judiciary should not interfere in what it describes as internal political party management.

The ADC, on its part, has maintained plans to proceed with its national convention, further highlighting the deep divisions within the party. However, without a Supreme Court ruling or INEC recognition of any leadership, the party’s administrative and electoral status remains unresolved.

With the Supreme Court yet to indicate when judgment will be delivered and INEC’s deadline for party documentation approaching rapidly, the ADC now faces a narrowing window that could determine whether it remains eligible to field candidates in the 2027 elections or risks being excluded from the ballot altogether.