Court battles over leadership, party structure and registration have unsettled the African Democratic Congress and the Nigeria Democratic Congress, raising concerns over the chances of opposition parties in the 2027 general elections.
Findings by Sunday PUNCH showed that candidates and members of the ADC were worried that the growing number of litigations involving the party might slow its momentum and weaken supporters’ confidence.
Although both ADC and NDC expressed confidence that they would overcome the legal challenges, some ADC candidates lamented that the court cases had already affected mobilisation efforts and dampened the morale of party members.
Some candidates and members of the ADC, who spoke with Sunday PUNCH on condition of anonymity because they did not want to be seen as disloyal to the party, said they developed cold feet after last week’s court ruling against the David Mark and Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola’s leadership.
An ADC House of Representatives candidate in Ekiti State disclosed that the court cases were frustrating the efforts of stakeholders to strengthen the party.
He stated that many people believed the ADC would not participate in the 2027 general elections because of the alleged “manipulation” of the judiciary against the party.
“We believe in the party and it remains the only opposition to challenge the dominance of the APC. But, to be truthful, these court cases are affecting our fortunes and discouraging many members and other people from joining the party.
“Some people have told me that we (ADC) members are wasting our time because they believe the APC will eventually use the courts to scatter us. When the Court of Appeal ruled last week that the congresses conducted by the David Mark and Aregbesola leadership shouldn’t be recognised, I became confused. That ruling dampened the morale of many party members. We hope to get a favourable judgment at the Supreme Court,” he said.
Also, a House of Assembly candidate in Osun State expressed fear that the court cases could impact the chances of the ADC in the elections.
“Here in Osun, we had to convince many voters that we would be on the ballot in the August 15 governorship election after a Federal High Court deregistered the ADC. The recent Court of Appeal pronouncement has even compounded the issue, and I am afraid it may affect our chances.
“Some of the voters we’re canvassing votes from are telling us that they don’t want to waste their votes because the court may eventually deregister our party. Some of them even said they were confused about the legitimacy of the party’s leadership. That is where we found ourselves, and it is what the APC planned for us. The (President Bola) Tinubu-led APC planned confusion in the ADC and they are using the judiciary to achieve their aim. But we shall triumph,” he said.
Also speaking, a party chieftain and former presidential candidate, Dele Momodu, accused the APC of attempting to frustrate the ADC through legal and political means, but insisted the opposition party would overcome the challenges.
“Our party parades some of the most experienced and astute political leaders in Nigeria today. They’re aware that the APC is jittery and trying every trick in legality and illegality to delete and obliterate our party from participating in next year’s presidential election.
“The whole world is aware of the reckless desperation of the ruling government. ADC is thus alert to its responsibilities and ready to fight back lawfully and responsibly,” he said.
Similarly, a House of Representatives aspirant in Kaduna State, Sheriff Abubakar, acknowledged that the court cases were causing confusion for the party.
He lamented that the judiciary had allegedly been weaponised to weaken the opposition, especially the ADC.
“The cases and court pronouncements on ADC leadership are causing a lot of confusion, and it is so sad and unfortunate that our judiciary has turned out to be a kind of weaponised entity for the government of the APC. There has never been a regime where the judiciary was weaponised like this regime.
“The recent Court of Appeal ruling is really disastrous for the ADC. Many members of the party had thought that we were done with Nafiu Bala’s case and all of a sudden, this suit about the state chairmen came up. This is one big challenge for the party, and a lot of party members believe it is going to disrupt the momentum of the candidates and the party itself.
“Another problem is the dozens of litigations by some ADC aspirants over the party’s primaries. Though they are pre-election matters, they are also of concern. So, the party is facing lots of challenges and it is really disheartening,” he said.
The ADC, which has emerged as the rallying platform for some prominent opposition figures, has been embroiled in a series of court cases over its leadership and internal structure.
The litigations include a leadership tussle involving a party chieftain, Nafiu Bala, who has challenged the legitimacy of the Mark-led National Working Committee, arguing that former National Chairman Ralph Nwosu did not follow due process in handing over the party’s leadership.
In addition, three party members instituted a suit before the Federal High Court in Abuja seeking the removal of the caretaker committee constituted by the party’s NWC.
They contend that Mark’s emergence as National Chairman breached the party’s constitution and have also questioned the validity of the state congresses conducted under his leadership.
On July 13, the Court of Appeal in Abuja upheld a Federal High Court judgment restraining the Independent National Electoral Commission from recognising or participating in state congresses conducted by committees appointed by the Mark-led caretaker leadership of the party.
The appellate court held that the conduct of state congresses fell within the exclusive responsibility of duly elected state executive committees and not the national leadership of the party.
However, despite the legal battles and internal disagreements, the ADC National Publicity Secretary, Bolaji Abdullahi, said the party remained focused on preparations for the next general election.
“We have moved past the stage of anxiety. The party is on a solid footing. We will be on the ballot to win. Nigerians are groaning in pain and they are ready to elect a government of their choice. There is no cause for alarm,” Abdullahi told Sunday PUNCH.
Momodu also corroborated Abdullahi’s position, stating that the party enjoyed broad national support and warned against any attempt to exclude it from the electoral process.
“Mercifully, our party covers the biggest and largest voting demographics in our dear country. We also represent some of the most dispossessed masses of our people. To disenfranchise them would be extremely cruel and dangerously catastrophic,” he added.
Another ADC chieftain, Timothy Osadolor, alleged that the APC was behind the legal challenges confronting the party, describing the cases as politically motivated.
“President Tinubu and the APC-led Federal Government are currently doing everything within their powers to ensure that no opposition party is on the ballot to challenge Tinubu, whom the majority of Nigerians believe has failed spectacularly in delivering good governance to Nigerians.
“The APC knows that no matter how they try to whitewash their candidate, or try as they may to clothe him in borrowed robes of success, the blood of Nigerians flowing from the highlands of the deep North, through the Plateau and the Benue valleys, through the lowlands of the South into the Atlantic will smear and speak against them,” he said.
He maintained that the ongoing litigations would not prevent the ADC from participating in the 2027 elections.
“The ADC is led by a seasoned administrator in the person of David Mark and a very competent National Working Committee. There is no cause for worry about whether the ADC will be on the ballot. The ADC will not only be on the ballot, the party, with the support of Nigerians and the blessing of God, will form the next government in Nigeria. The ADC has come to stay. What the APC is trying to do with its many litigations against the ADC is akin to the last kick of a dying horse,” Osadolor added.
He also urged the Independent National Electoral Commission to remain impartial.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Democratic Congress has also declared that the ongoing leadership and registration-related court cases will not stop the party from appearing on the ballot.
The opposition party is currently facing multiple legal battles, including suits filed by aggrieved aspirants who lost its primary elections and a separate court dispute over its registration.
The litigations have fuelled concerns in some political circles over the possibility of the NDC being excluded from the 2027 elections if the disputes remain unresolved before the polls.
But the party dismissed the fears, saying it had already taken legal steps to challenge the judgment affecting its registration while expressing confidence that justice would prevail.
Speaking with Sunday PUNCH, the National Publicity Secretary of the NDC, Osa Director, maintained that litigation was not peculiar to his party, adding that internal disputes were part of democratic politics.
According to him, rather than weaken the party ahead of the 2027 elections, the legal challenges would strengthen its internal democracy by helping it correct mistakes and build a more enduring institution.
“It is the constitutional right of every Nigerian to seek redress in court if you feel aggrieved. So, there is nothing you can do about that.
“I don’t think this will weaken us. We want to see it from a positive angle that it is strengthening our internal democracy mechanism, so that where we went wrong, the next time we know what to do. And where we are right, we will intensify such principles in the future.
“We strongly believe that the NDC will surely be on the ballot. We cannot give up on Nigeria. This country must surely have an alternative to look up to,” he said.
The reassurance comes weeks after the party filed a notice of appeal against a Federal High Court judgment that set aside its registration.
The legal dispute arose after Justice Dashen set aside an earlier judgment delivered on December 10, 2025, which directed INEC to register the NDC as a political party.
The court held that the earlier judgment adversely affected the rights of the Peace Movement Party, which claimed ownership of the logo relied upon in obtaining the registration but was not joined as a party in the suit.
Counsel for the applicant, C.S. Ekeocha, said the court ordered all parties to return to the position they occupied before the December 10, 2025 judgment and directed that all necessary parties be joined before the substantive suit is heard afresh.
According to him, the ruling effectively reversed every action taken by INEC pursuant to the earlier judgment, including the recognition of the NDC and the issuance of its certificate of registration, pending a fresh determination of the case.
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