Supreme Court Reserves Judgment On ADC, PDP Appeals

By Suleiman Anyalewechi 

The Supreme Court on Wednesday, April 22, 2026, reserved ruling on the appeals filed by the Senator David Mark-led factional leadership of the opposition Coalition platform the African Democratic Congress, ADC, and the Tanimu Turaki-led Peoples Democratic party PDP National Executive Committee NEC for a date to be communicated to all parties.

The Source reports that while the Mark-led ADC leadership had filed an application challenging the Court of Appeal judgment of March 12,2026 ordering parties in the festering leadership tussle rocking the party to return to the trial Court for the continuation of proceedings in the application filed by the Bala Nafiu Gombe-faction of the ADC  disputing the Mark-led NEC, the Turaki-led PDP also filed an appeal against the Appellate Court’s verdict of March 9,2026 nullifying its Ibadan National Convention ,as well as affirming the trial Court’s recognition of the Nyesom Wike-backed Abdulraham Mohammed-led PDP leadership.

Besides, Mark, in his application, prayed the Supreme Court for an order of  stay of execution of the Court of Appeal ruling ordering parties to maintain the status quo pending the determination of the substantive suit filed by Nafiu Gombe  before Honourable Justice Emeka Nwite of an Abuja Federal High Court.

The Mark-led ADC leadership similarly in the appeal marked SC/CU/180/ 2026, prayed the court to set aside the March 12 Court of Appeal judgment and order the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC to restore recognition for its  leadership.

According to Mark, the Court of Appeal exceeded its jurisdiction by entertaining an issue that is clearly within the internal affairs of a political party which, going by extant laws, are not justiciable.

In the same vein, the Turaki-led PDP faction in the suit marked SC/CV/164/2026 is also seeking an order of the Supreme Court setting aside the judgment of the Court of Appeal of March, 9, 2026, which affirmed the trial court’s ruling nullifying its Ibadan National Convention,as well as recognizing the Wike-backed PDP faction.

During the last Court proceedings on April 14, 2026, the Supreme Court, after taking pleas from both parties agreed to give the appeals expedited hearing  with a directive for all parties to serve all necessary court papers and respondents to file their responses within the next 72 hours.

A five-member panel of the Supreme Court led by Justice Mohammed Garba on Wednesday reserved judgment after parties adopted their final written and oral addresses.

The apex court is expected to deliver its verdict ahead of the May 10, 2026, dateline for political parties to file all necessary documents at INEC in preparation for the 2027 polls.

It will be recalled that the electoral Commission had on April 1, 2026, on the strength of the disputed Court of Appeal judgment of March 12, withdrew recognition from the Mark-led ADC leadership and halted all correspondences, a development that have severely disrupted its preparedness for the forthcoming polls.