By Ayomide Otitoju
The Supreme Court of Nigeria has fixed April 22, 2026, to hear separate appeals arising from leadership disputes within the Peoples Democratic Party and the African Democratic Congress.
A five-member panel of the apex court, led by Lawal Garba, granted an application for accelerated hearing filed by a faction of the PDP led by Kabiru Turaki, alongside a request to abridge the time for filing briefs.
The Turaki-led group is challenging a ruling of the Court of Appeal which invalidated the party’s Ibadan National Convention held in November 2025. The court also directed that hearing notices be served on all parties, including a respondent who was absent at proceedings.
Counsel to the group, Chris Uche, urged the court to expedite the matter in view of the timetable of the Independent National Electoral Commission ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a related development, the apex court also fixed the same date to hear an appeal involving the Turaki faction and former Jigawa State governor, Sule Lamido, who had challenged his exclusion from the PDP national chairmanship race.
Separately, another five-member panel led by Mohammed Garba scheduled April 22 to hear an appeal filed by the David Mark-led executives of the ADC over the party’s leadership crisis.
The court granted accelerated hearing and directed parties to file and exchange briefs within shortened timelines.
Mark’s appeal challenges a Court of Appeal judgment which upheld an earlier ruling of the Federal High Court declining to grant reliefs sought in a suit filed by party chieftain Nafiu Bala Gombe, who is contesting the party’s leadership.
The ADC dispute follows internal disagreements after Mark assumed the party’s chairmanship in July 2025, a move contested by Bala. The courts had earlier ordered parties to maintain the status quo, prompting INEC to withhold recognition of any faction and remove the names of key officials from its records.
The Supreme Court’s forthcoming hearing is expected to provide clarity on the leadership tussles within both parties ahead of the 2027 elections.
